Review & Update Your Emergency Plan

Brief Summary

This video emphasizes the importance of regularly reviewing and updating emergency preparedness plans in childcare facilities. It highlights that situations change frequently, making it crucial to ensure plans are current and reflect the latest circumstances. The video provides several examples of how changes in staff, children, families, and the facility itself can necessitate plan updates. It also stresses the need for proactive planning and encourages annual reviews, or more frequent updates if needed.

• Regularly review and update emergency preparedness plans.
• Ensure plans reflect current staff, children, families, and facility changes.
• Be proactive and review plans annually or more often if needed.

Why Emergency Plans Need to Be Updated

This chapter introduces the concept of emergency preparedness plans in childcare facilities and emphasizes the importance of regular updates. It highlights that situations change frequently, including staff changes, new children, and facility modifications. These changes can render existing plans outdated and ineffective, necessitating a review and update to ensure the plan remains relevant and functional.

Examples of Changes Requiring Plan Updates

This chapter provides several examples of how changes in a childcare facility can necessitate updates to the emergency preparedness plan. These examples include:

• Facility Changes: Changes to the outdoor play space, such as the removal of a pavilion used as a gathering point during evacuations.
• Neighborhood Changes: New road construction projects or closures that impact evacuation routes or relocation plans.
• Staff Changes: A lead teacher going on maternity leave, requiring a designated replacement for emergency procedures.
• Children Changes: The addition of a new infant-toddler room, requiring specific evacuation and accommodation procedures for infants and toddlers.
• Children with Special Needs: The inclusion of a child using a wheelchair, necessitating accommodations for special needs children during emergencies.
• Family Changes: Changes in family contact information, transportation arrangements, or medication schedules for children.

Proactive Planning and Review

This chapter emphasizes the importance of proactive planning and regular review of emergency preparedness plans. It encourages childcare facilities to review and update their plans annually, or more frequently if needed. The video recommends downloading a handout with helpful tips for reviewing and updating emergency plans. It also stresses the importance of discussing the updated plan with staff to ensure everyone is aware of the changes and knows what to do in case of an emergency.