Emergency Preparedness Plan

(WAC 110-300-0470, 0166)

You will find our evacuation routes posted under the light switch next to the front door. We will practice and document monthly fire drills, quarterly emergency/disaster drills, and an annual lock down drill.  Please refer to my posted evacuation plan for a full list of details, floor plan, and gathering place outside of my home so you are aware of our emergency and natural and unnatural disasters /evacuation procedures.

I have practiced turning off water, and power. We do not have gas on the property.  Shelving, furniture and heavy objects on high shelves have been secured to protect against falling. I continually check the daycare house for potential hazards on a regular basis. If you personally see something that could be a hazard please let me know asap.

Should the daycare house become inhabitable in a disaster, the children and I will be located at my residential house if possible. If my residential house is also inhabitable we will move the children to Central Ave Elementary School that is west of the daycare (0.3 miles away). If for any reason it is unsafe for us to go west on 104th ST E to the school we will go to the Oasis Community Church that is east from the daycare on the corner of 104th St E and Canyon Road (0.2 miles away). We will remain at the evacuation point until all emergency contacts have been contacted and all children have been picked up.

My emergency preparedness includes developmentally appropriate training with the children on how to respond in an emergency such as calling 911 and when it is appropriate to evacuate WAC 110-300-0470(1)(c).

My emergency kit includes a well stocked First Aid Kit, Flashlight with extra batteries, non perishable supply of food, cell phone charger, and emergency blankets. The daycare house is stocked with a three day supply of food, 8 gallons of water, fire extinguisher, flashlights and extra batteries, and many blankets and pillows. I carry my cell phone with me at all times and keep it charged throughout the day. The emergency backpack kit comes outside when we go outside to play in case an emergency happens while we are outside and cannot go back into the daycare house.

Earthquake Plan (WAC 110-300-0470)

When Indoors:

  • Move away from windows, tall furniture, and heavy appliances

  • Everyone in the program will be instructed to:

    • DROP to floor

    • COVER head and neck with arms and take cover under heavy      furniture or against internal wall

    • HOLD ON to furniture if under it until shaking stops

  • A head count of the children will be taken to ensure all children are present and adults will talk to children in a calm reassuring tone until it is safe and the earthquake is over

When Outside:

  • Move to clear area, as far as possible from glass, brick, and power lines.

  • DROP & COVER.

  • Adults will talk to children in a calm reassuring tone until it is safe and the earthquake is over

  • A head count of the children will be taken to ensure all children are present

After earthquake:

  • Account for all children, staff, and visitors

  • Check for injuries and administer first aid as necessary. Call 911 for life-threatening emergency

  • Determine if evacuation is necessary and if outside areas are safe. If so, we will evacuate building calmly and quickly to our designated meeting spot located:

Gas Line Emergencies: Our property does not have a gas line .

Evacuation Plan: (WAC 110-300-0470)

When On-site:

  • All children will be gathered and escorted to the designated meeting spot located: in front of the residential house near the covered patio. It is a fully fenced area but can be seen from the road for parents and emergency personnel to easily find us.

  • A head count of the children will be taken to ensure all children are present and adults will talk to children in a calm reassuring tone

  • If safe to do so, the whole home will be checked, to ensure that all children have left the building safely.

When Off-site:

  • All children will be gathered and escorted to the designated meeting spot with the grab and go bag and our daily attendance log and “enrolled children files” binder.

  • A head count of the children will be taken to ensure all children are present and adults will talk to children in a calm reassuring tone

  • All areas will be searched (including bathrooms, playground structures, etc.), to ensure that all children are safe and accounted for

  • Once out of danger, families will be contacted. If we are unable to make contact by phone, we will then call the identified out-of-area emergency contact or 911 to let them know of our location

  • If an earthquake takes place while transporting children, we will remain in the car until it is deemed safe to get out.

  • All children will participate in our emergency drills but will not be told in detail as to why we are doing these drills until they are developmentally able to take in that kind of information. We will use simple terms to explain to the children what we are doing and why.

Fire Evacuation Plan: (WAC 110-300-0470)

  • We will activate our fire alarm or alert staff that there is a fire (yell, whistle, etc.).

  • We will evacuate the building quickly and calmly:

    • If anyone’s clothes catch on fire they will be instructed to STOP, DROP, & ROLL until the fire is out

    • If a child is not old enough to follow these instructions an adult will physically assist them in  STOP, DROP, and ROLL. A blanket may need to be used to help assist putting our a clothes fire.

  • We will take our grab and go bag including attendance sheets and “enrolled children files” binder as we are exiting the building

  • A designated staff member will check areas where children may be located before they leave the building

  • Once everyone has evacuated the building safely a head count of the children will be taken to ensure all children are present and adults will talk to children in a calm reassuring tone

  • We will call 911 from outside of the building and will not re-enter the building until it has been cleared by the fire department.

  • Parents, or emergency contact if parents cannot be reached will be called immediately after 911 has been called.

  • All children and staff will participate in fire drills. We will do a drill once a month. You can find out fire drill log on the left side of the refrigerator.

Lockdown Plan: (WAC 110-300-0470)

  • We will lock outside doors and windows, close and secure interior doors, all windows will be covered or made to not be able to be seen through, and all lights will be turned off;

  • We will keep everyone away from doors and windows. Stay out of sight, preferably sitting on floor with our back against the same wall as the outside window;

  • When possible, we will bring attendance sheets, first aid kits, pacifiers and other comforting items. Books, blankets and pillows are already kept in the second room where we would preferably be during a lockdown to help the children be quiet and comfortable;

  • To maintain a calm atmosphere in the room we will read or talk quietly to children;

  • If a phone is available, we will call 911 to ensure emergency personnel have been notified;

  • We will remain under lockdown until the situation is resolved or we are notified that it is safe to resume the daily routine;

  • We will notify parents and guardians about any lockdown, whether practice or real. If real we will notify parents and guardians when it is safe to do so. During a real lockdown parents will be contact by text and email first. A phone call will only happen if there is no response by text or email and only if calling is presumed safe to do.

In the case of a disaster of any kind, I have prepared my daycare for evacuating the children and have a three day/72-hour supply of food and water for each child and staff. Please bring a three-day supply of any required medications for your child/children. We will keep the children at our facility until the parents are able to safely arrive to pick up their children after a disaster, and will not leave your child unsupervised.

In case of loss of utility such as electricity or water, we have emergency supplies on hand such as flashlight, blankets, and bottled water. The daycare will remain open as long as possible as long as the loss of utility does not present an immediate health or safety risk. An inability to maintain out indoor temperatures between 68-82 degrees, or overflow of sewage would be a cause for immediate program closure.

Injury or medical emergency response and reporting

(WAC 110-300-0475)

1. My staff and I have First Aid, Child CPR, and HIV/Aids/Blood Borne Pathogens Prevention training.

2. Minor cuts, bruises, and scrapes will be treated.  Parents will be notified with an injury report. With some minor injury’s parents may be called to help decide whether the child should go home.

3. Head injuries, sever bleeding or other serious injuries we will contact the parent immediately and write an injury report.

4. In the event of a serious injury or emergency, I will call 911 and administer first aid or CPR if needed.  I will notify you as soon as safely possible.

5. If injury results in medical treatment or hospitalization, I am required to immediately call and submit an "Injury/Incident Report" to my Department’s Licensor and child’s social worker, if any.  You will be given a copy.

6.   All injuries that the child arrives with will be documented and an injury report will be written.