Parents, Schools, Daycares, and Emergency Preparedness

With the new school year ahead, the focus of this month's topic is geared towards being informed of school/daycare emergency plans and preparing your children should disaster strike while they are in school.  Depending on the type of emergency, it may not be safe to pick up your child from school.  Know your child's school/daycare emergency plan for different situations.  Below are some things to consider.

Questions to Ask Your School/Daycare:

• How will parents be notified of an emergency sitatuion?
• What is the process of evacuation?
• Does the school/daycare have an emergency e-mail notification system, phone hotline, social media applications, etc..?
• How will the school/daycare release students in the event of an emergency?
• What will happen if the school/daycare experiences:  a shelter-in-place situation, facility evacuation, lock down, power outage, hazmat emergency, water outage, bomb threat, or missing child situation.
• What resources does the school/daycare have to care for children during a crisis?

What Can You Do?

• Make sure the school/daycare has current contact information (work, cell, home, email) for you and that they know the best way to reach you or other people authorized to pick up your child in case you can't get there.
• Discuss with your children that if an emergency happens while they are at school/daycare that it is important for them to stay calm and listen to their teachers.
• Even though schools may have emergency plans, it makes sense for each household to create their own family-specific emergency plan and include details for communications, meeting places, and having backup copies of important documents and contact information.