EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT POLICY & PROCEDURES:
Name of Child Care Centre: TURTLE CLUB DAY CARE
Date Policy and Procedures Established: APRIL 2004
Date Policy and Procedures Updated: 2017
Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to provide clear direction for staff and licensees to follow to deal with emergency situations. The procedures set out steps for staff to follow to support the safety and well-being of everyone involved.
Clear policies and procedures will support all individuals to manage responses and responsibilities during an emergency, resulting in the safest outcomes possible.
Definitions:
All-Clear: A notification from an authority that a threat and/or disaster no longer pose a danger and it is deemed safe to return to the child care premises and/or resume normal operations.
Authority: A person or entity responsible for providing direction during an emergency situation (e.g. emergency services personnel, the licensee).
Emergency: An urgent or pressing situation where immediate action is required to ensure the safety of children and adults in attendance. These include situations that may not affect the whole child care centre (e.g. child-specific incidents) and where 911 is called.
Emergency Services Personnel: persons responsible for ensuring public safety and mitigating activities in an emergency (e.g. law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, rescue services).
Evacuation Site: the designated off-site location where shelter is obtained during an emergency. The evacuation site is used when it is deemed unsafe to be at or return to the child care centre.
Licensee: The individual or agency licensed by the Ministry of Education responsible for the operation and management of each child care centre it operates (i.e. the operator).
Meeting Place: the designated safe place near the child care centre where everyone is to initially gather before proceeding to the evacuation site, or returning to the child care centre if evacuation is not necessary.
Staff: Individual employed by the licensee (e.g. program staff, supervisor).
Unsafe to Return: A notification from an authority that a threat and/or disaster continue to pose a danger and it is unsafe to return to the child care premises.
POLICY:
Staff will follow the emergency response procedures outlined in this document by following these three phases:
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Immediate Emergency Response;
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Next Steps during an Emergency; and
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Recovery.
Staff will ensure that children are kept safe, are accounted for and are supervised at all times during an emergency situation.
For situations that require evacuation of the child care centre, the meeting place to gather immediately will be located at:
JOE’S VALU-MART
311 GORHAM ROAD, RIDGEWAY, ONTARIO L0S 1N0
If it is deemed ‘unsafe to return’ to the child care centre, the evacuation site to proceed to is located at:
JOE’S VALU-MART
311 GORHAM ROAD, RIDGEWAY, ONTARIO L0S 1N0
Note: all directions given by emergency services personnel will be followed under all circumstances, including directions to evacuate to locations different than those listed above.
For any emergency situations involving a child with an individualized plan in place, the procedures in the child’s individualized plan will be followed.
If any emergency situations happen that are not described in this document, LINDA BOLTON, will provide direction to staff for the immediate response and next steps. Staff will follow the direction given.
If any emergency situations result in a serious occurrence, the serious occurrence policy and procedures will also be followed.
All emergency situations will be documented in detail by LINDA BOLTON in the daily written record.
ADDITIONAL POLICY STATEMENTS:
TURTLE CLUB DAY CARE WILL HAVE MONTHLY FIRE DRILLS TO PRACTICE EXISTING THE BUILDING SAFELY AND MEETING AT THE FENCE IN THE SOUTH WEST PLAY AREA. ALL STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ATTENDANCE CHART AND EMERGENCY BAG WITH THEM.
PROCEDURES:
PHASE 1: Immediate Emergency Response:
Additional Procedures for Immediate Emergency Response
Judy Grant (Cook) will help in the infant room, if she is not needed she will proceed to the toddler room.
PHASE 2: Next Steps During the Emergency
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Where emergency services personnel are not already aware of the situation, LINDA BOLTON must notify emergency services personnel (911) of the emergency as soon as possible.
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Where the child care centre has been evacuated, emergency services must be notified of individuals remaining inside the building, where applicable.
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If the licensee is not already on site, the site designate must contact the licensee to inform them of the emergency situation and the current status, once it is possible and safe to do so.
List of Emergency Contact Persons:
Local Police Department: 911
Ambulance: 911
Local Fire Services: 911
Site Supervisor: LINDA BOLTON (905) 650-1250
Licensee Contact(s): ELENA GRANT (905) 521-7633
Child Care Centre Site Designate: CRYSTAL AITCHESON (905) 380-7228
4. Where any staff, students and/or volunteers are not on site, LINDA BOLTON must notify these individuals of the situation,
and instruct them to proceed directly to the evacuation site if it is not safe or practical for them return to the child care
centre.
5. LINDA BOLTON must wait for further instructions from emergency services personnel. Once instructions are received, they
must communicate the instructions to staff and ensure they are followed.
6. Throughout the emergency, staff will:
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help keep children calm;
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take attendance to ensure that all children are accounted for;
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conduct ongoing visual checks and head counts of children;
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maintain constant supervision of the children; and
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engage children in activities, where possible.
7. In situations where injuries have been sustained, staff with first aid training will assist with administering first aid. Staff
must inform emergency personnel of severe injuries requiring immediate attention and assistance.
8.a Procedures to Follow when an "All-clear" is given:
8.b. Procedures to Follow when "Unsafe to Return" Notification is given:
Additional Procedures for Next Steps During an Emergency
LINDA BOLTON will document all events that happen and injuries that might have occurred. A list of snacks and drinks will be recorded as well. A grand total of children and adults will be taken and each child signed out once they are picked up. All staff will remain on hand until all the children are picked up safely.
PHASE 3: Recovery (After an emergency situation has ended)