Dear Parent/Guardian,
As part of our child care program’s emergency planning, I want to tell you where we will go or what we will do in an event of an emergency when we need to leave our building, lock down, shelter in place, and how you can contact us. Your child’s safety is very important in our program. By planning for emergencies and practicing our emergency plan through drills, we can reduce the risks of an emergency and help lessen fear and anxiety for your child.
Communication
In an emergency, we will contact you as soon as the children are safe. If we cannot reach you, we will contact individuals you gave us as emergency contacts. We can only release your child to you or individuals that you identified in our records as being authorized to pick up your child. Also, we will share emergency information with emergency contacts as another way to communicate with you.
Note: If there is an emergency situation that does not allow us to go to the evacuation locations we’ve identified, we will contact you with our location as soon as the children are safe.
It is very important to let us know when there is a change in your contact information, as well as for people that you told us to contact in an emergency if we cannot reach you. If you want to review the contact information currently in our records, please let me know.
I have included our child care emergency plan wallet card that you can place in your wallet. This card has our evacuation locations and contact information.
Evacuation and Re-Location
If we must leave our building and go to a safer place, the type of emergency will determine the evacuation location we go to. 312 George Street, Reading, PA 19605. A poster will be placed on the center’s front entrance door. A follow-up text will be sent to all parents to let them know their child is safe and how they can reunite with their child.
Lock-Down
This plan would be put into place in the event a dangerous person is immediately outside the facility. The Director and group supervisor will check that all doors and windows are locked. Each teacher will count their children and make sure they are all present. Each teacher will keep the children in their class area away from windows and doors. No outside person will be able to enter the building until the area is safe and cleared by emergency personnel. The Police and emergency personnel will be notified immediately. Parents will be notified and given updates on the situation. They will be notified via telephone or Procare message when the emergency has ended and how to safely reunite with their child.
Shelter in Place
This plan would be put into place in the event of a weather emergency or unsafe outdoor conditions or threats. In this plan, children will be cared for indoors at the center, and the center may be secured or locked to restrict entry. Parents will be notified if they need to pick up their child before the regular time.
Infant
In the event of an emergency, the infants will be evacuated using the evacuation crib through the exit door inside the room. Stand away from the building or in a designated meeting area and wait for directions from first responders.
Children with Special Needs
In the event of an emergency, any child with a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition, or any child who meets these criteria under our program, the protocol is to follow the emergent care plan completed by their physician on file. Use the medical device or special tool to accommodate the child and assure the child is treated with the amount of care needed for their condition. This approach reduces the risks of an emergency and helps lessen fear and anxiety for the child.
Emergency Supplies
I encourage you to provide a “comfort kit” for each of your children in our child care program. In an emergency, it is important for your child to have personal items that will help keep him/her calm when separated from you during and after an emergency. The kit will stay in our building.
I suggest the kit include the following items:
- A change of clothes and socks
- A small toy, stuffed animal, or book
- A picture of the child
- A family picture
- A comforting note from you
You can put the items in a large, sealed plastic bag with your child’s name on it. When you have your kit ready, please give it to me when you drop off your child.
Additional Resources
Emergency planning is important for our program and may also be important for your family’s safety and well-being in an emergency or disaster. The Ready PA website has resources available to help you develop an emergency plan for your family: https://www.ready.pa.gov/
I want you to know that in an emergency, we will stay with and care for your child. If you want to learn more about our program’s emergency plan or have any questions or concerns, please let me know.