Chapter Four: Emergency Response Procedures for Child Care

Safety Policies for Emergency Response l Defining an Emergency l Basic Emergency Response Procedure l Basic CPR and First Aid l Emergency Planning for Children with Special Needs l Disaster Preparedness

Bleeding, Breathing, Poison l Profuse bleeding l Difficulty breathing l Any type of poison Identifying an Emergency

Other Emergency Indicators  using your senses l Unusual appearances or behaviors l Unusual sight l Unusual noises l Unusual odors l Unusual conditions

Organizing for an Emergency l Basic training l Emergency information  On file, including release form  All health records  Log of injuries, ouch reports Basic Emergency Response Procedures

l Emergency numbers  Posted by phones l Emergency backup l Rescue registration  Emergency information for local fire/rescue departments  See page 135 for form l Evacuation plan l First aid kit

Order of Response l Act immediately/remain calm l Stay at scene  help and reassurance l Assess child l Do not move seriously-injured child l If necessary, call for emergency help

l Notify parents and agree on plan of action l Give medication only if authorized l Treat child for shock l Stay with child until parents or emergency help arrives l After incident is over, fill out report

Overview First Aid Procedures l Bites l Cuts and other injuries to the skin l Injuries involving head, mouth, and nose l Burns l Temperature  hot and cold l Poisoning  Symptoms (see Table 4-8) Basic CPR and First Aid

Emergency Planning for Children with Special Needs Caregiver needs to be familiar with what constitutes an emergency for a child with special needs l Needs education, planning, and preparation for typical emergency for child l Written emergency management plan, updated regularly l Medication should be available in a first aid kit separate from the rest

We must be prepared for all types of disasters such as l Fire (most common disaster) l Acts of nature l Chemical spills l Blackouts l Human acts of violence Response should be discussed and planned ahead of time Disaster Preparedness

Evacuation Procedures l Diagram and written plan l Evacuation plan  Emergency record l Daily Attendance checklist l Prior discussion with parents so they know practice and drills and emergency evacuation plan l Practice fire drills, etc.  Including infants and toddlers

Survival Mode Procedures l Practice l Emergency rations/supplies l Emergency kit from home for children  Includes calming letter from parents l Cell phone to reach parents

Helping Children Cope with Disaster l Stay and be calm l Give children reassurance and explain emergency l Establish a routine l Continued reassurance  Children may go through a delayed reaction  Children take time to recover

Education l Caregiver training and education for emergencies l Parents l Children practice evacuation and emergency procedures Implications for Caregivers

Supervision l Keep environment ready to respond to emergencies l First aid kit and survival mode supplies should be checked regularly

Cultural Competence l Provide information for families that do not speak English l Children of immigrants may need extra support

Natural disasters are widespread l Tornadoes, floods, tropical storms, sever storms, floods, wildfires, etc.  Reality Check: Creating an Emergency Natural Disaster Plan for Your Child Care

l Mitigation = preparation to protect people and structures from risk to natural disasters l Preparation helps to manage risk

Steps to take 1.Identify local hazards 2.Develop an outline for the hazards you have identified 3.Put together information and then apply to child care situation and prioritize risk to the local area and center 4.Think about possible scenarios in order to mitigate child care

l Help prepare the children for potential disasters by seeing and talking about events, like reading books and talking about how to keep safe.