Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases
Section 9 - Emergency Preparedness
Since September 11, 2001, there has been a focus on having businesses, schools, and organizations develop an emergency response plan, highlighting how they will continue their essential business functions during an emergency. The plan should be comprehensive and cover how the organization will respond to “all hazards.” The basic elements of the plan should be universal, although they may need to be adapted to fit the needs of your individual organization.
In any type of emergency, the goal is to have a plan in place that will: minimize damage, ensure the safety of staff, children, and students, protect vital records/assets, allow for self- sufficiency for at least 72 hours, and provide for continuity of your critical business operations. In addition, each organization should develop an appendix to their plan on how they would handle a long term event that could result in a significant reduction of workforce, such as an influenza pandemic.
The importance of planning prior to an event cannot be stressed enough. It is essential to have a written plan that has been discussed and practiced with all employees and discussed with children and their families. This preparation will allow everyone to know their roles and responsibilities when an emergency occurs. In addition to the organization having an emergency response plan, it is necessary for employees to have individual and family preparedness plans. An organization is only as prepared as their workers are. With everyone prepared, your organization will be in a better position to manage any type of emergency.
There are a number of resources listed on the following pages that are available to help you create your organization’s emergency plan.
Check with your local or state health department or child care licensing groups, department of human services or department of education to see if they may be available to answer questions.
Emergency Preparedness Planning Resources for Child Care
National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA)
https://www.ccrcca.org/providers/emergency-preparedness/
- Is Child Care Ready?: A Disaster-Planning Guide for Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
This guide is a practical toolkit for Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies to help child care programs – both in child care centers and providers’ homes – keep children safe and their businesses open during and after natural disasters, terrorist attacks, chemical emergencies, and other catastrophes.- Disaster Preparation: A Training for Child Care Centers
This guide is designed to assist CCR&Rs and others in training child care centers on disaster preparedness. It includes specific activities for training individuals who direct and work in child care centers. - Disaster Preparation: A Training for Family Child Care Providers
This guide is intended to assist CCR&Rs and others in training family child care providers on disaster preparedness. It includes activities for training individuals who care for children in their homes. - Emergency Planning Forms
The user-friendly forms offer templates for child care providers and others to use to fully prepare for disasters.
- Disaster Preparation: A Training for Child Care Centers
Emergency Response Planning for Child Care Providers Toolkit
https://toolbox.naccho.org/pages/tool-view.html?id=650
- This toolkit is designed to prepare child care providers for emergency events and to assist in the recovery effort by helping children cope with the traumatic event. A train-the-trainer guide is included along with a CD that contains Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. You can download this toolkit for free or order hard copies for a fee on the NACCHO website. The Montgomery County web address will take you directly to the free PDF version.
Emergency/Disaster Preparedness Standards from Caring for Our Children, 2nd Edition
- This template was adapted from Caring for Our Children, National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care. This template was a joint collaborative project of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health & Safety in Child Care.
Disaster Preparedness Worksheets for Children According to Age
https://cphd.ph.ucla.edu/
http://www.cphd.ucla.edu/resources.html
- This page contains Disaster Kits for children according to age, and those with diabetes and asthma.
Ready in Three: Child Care and School Preparedness
Preparedness Information for Child Care Providers
Preparedness Information for Schools
- These websites cover information for child care providers when planning for any disaster, including Pandemic influenza.
Emergency Preparedness Planning Resources for School
Planning and Checklists
Ready in 3: Three Steps To Prepare For Any Emergency
https://health.mo.gov/emergencies/panflu/ [NEEDS LINK]
Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools & Communities
Emergency Planning and Procedures Guide for Schools Practice Good Hygiene National Science Foundation
Health Information Available in Different Languages
Emergency Preparedness Planning Resources for Individual and Family
These sites are comprehensive and contain in-depth information on emergency planning for individuals, families with children, senior citizens, and persons with special needs, and those with pets. Many sites have several brochures that can be downloaded.
Additional Information to Prepare Children
The American Academy of Pediatrics has addressed emergency preparedness for children. The following are highlighted materials from the Academy’s website:
Four Steps to Prepare Your Family for Disasters: Contains a section on what to tell children.
Family Readiness Kit with information on different types of disasters and a readiness guide.