Policy:

Children in our care must be kept safe. This policy is to provide clear direction for employees when in emergencies. The procedures set out steps for employees to follow to support the safety and well-being of everyone involved.

Clear policies and procedures will support all individuals in managing responses and responsibilities during an emergency, resulting in the safest outcomes possible.

Lock Down

Lockdown is when a threat is very near, inside the childcare centre, or the Grande Prairie RCMP advises the daycare to be on lockdown.

1. If employees become aware of the threat, they must inform the director quickly and safely. The coordinator will call Lockdown over the intercom system to notify all employees. The director will call 911. If employees cannot contact the director, they must call 911 immediately.

2. Employees must then follow the lockdown procedure.

Lock Down Procedure:

1. The employees must: remain calm, gather all children, and move them away from doors and windows immediately. Any groups outside must come inside if it is safe or follow instructions from the director.

2. The director will close and lock all Wee Care Daycare entrance and exit doors if possible.

3. Educators will ensure they have their attendance records, emergency backpacks, and a phone when going to their designated area.

4. Designated areas:

Full-time program

· The baby room will go into the staff washroom, close, and lock the door

· The toddler room will go into the employee washroom in the senior room and close and shut the door.

· The Junior room will go into the washroom and close the curtain.

· The Senior room will go into the washroom and close the curtain.

· The preschool room will go into the staff room and close both doors

· The KinderCare room will go into the washroom in the room and close the door

Drop-in Program

· The Juniors will go into the washroom on the seniors’ side and close the door.

· The Seniors will go into the disability washroom and close the door.

5. The educators will take children’s attendance to confirm that all children are accounted for; educators may barricade doors or entryways if they feel it is needed. The educators need to keep children calm and wait for further instruction.

6. No one will be allowed to enter or leave the daycare during lockdown; the coordinator will send out a notice on Hi Mama of the lockdown and will update as often as possible. Please do not try and pick up your children. We will let you know as soon as the lockdown is lifted.

7. All employees will have to stay on premises until the lockdown is lifted.

Only emergency service personnel can enter or exit the childcare centre during a lockdown. Hold & Secure

Hold & Secure is when a threat is in the general vicinity of the Wee Care Daycare but not inside the childcare premises; Grande Prairie RCMP may require the daycare to be on a hold and secure.

Procedure:

1. The employee who becomes aware of the external threat must inform the director of the threat as quickly and safely as possible.

2. Educators with children outside must ensure everyone returns to their classroom(s) immediately.

3. Educators in the program room must:

· Remain calm.

· Take children’s attendance to confirm that all children are accounted for.

· Close all window coverings and windows in the classroom.

· Continue normal operations of the program.

· Wait for further instructions.

4. The Director must immediately: close and lock all entrances/exits of the childcare centre; close all blinds and windows outside of the classrooms; and place a note on the external doors with instructions that no one may enter or exit the childcare centre.

Only emergency services personnel can enter or exit the centre during a hold and secure.

Disaster Requiring Evacuation

A severe incident affects the physical building and requires everyone to leave the premises, including but not limited to fire, flood, and power failure.

1. The employee who becomes aware of the disaster must inform all other employees of the incident. The centre must be evacuated as quickly and safely as possible. If the disaster is a fire, the fire alarm pull station must be used, and staff must follow the centre’s fire evacuation procedures.

2. Staff must immediately:

· Remain calm.

· Gather all children, the attendance record (iPad), and backpacks containing emergency medications and supplies

· exit the building with the children using the nearest safe exit, bringing children’s outdoor clothing (if possible) according to weather conditions.

· Escort children to the meeting place.

· Take children’s attendance to confirm that all children are accounted for.

· WaitKeep children calm.

· Wait for further instructions.

3. Designated staff will:

· Help any individuals with medical and special needs who need assistance to go to the meeting place (by the procedure in a child’s individualized plan, if the individual is a child); in doing so, follow the instructions posted on special needs equipment or assistive devices during the evacuation.

· If individuals cannot be safely assisted to exit the building, the designated staff will help them and ensure their required medication is accessible, if applicable,

· wait for further instructions.

4. If possible, the director must conduct a walk-through of the childcare centre to verify that everyone has exited the building and secure any windows or doors unless otherwise directed by the emergency services personnel.

Disaster – External Environmental Threat

An incident outside of the building may adversely affect persons in the childcare centre—E.g. gas leak, oil spill, chemical release, forest fire, nuclear emergency.

1. The employee who becomes aware of the external threat must inform the director of the threat as quickly and safely as possible.

If remaining on site:

1. Employees who are outdoors with children must ensure that everyone returns to their classroom.

2. Staff must immediately:

· Remain calm.

· takeTake children’s attendance to confirm all children are accounted for.

· Close all window coverings and windows in the classroom.

· Continue normal operations of the program.

· Wait for further instructions.

3. The Director or Designate must:

· Seal off external air entryways not located in program rooms (where applicable);

· Place a note on all external doors with instructions that no one may enter or exit the childcare centre until further notice.

· Turn off all air handling equipment (i.e. heating, ventilation and air conditioning, where applicable).

If emergency services personnel otherwise direct the childcare centre to evacuate, follow the procedures outlined in this policy's “Disaster Requiring Evacuation” section.

Natural Disaster: Tornado / Tornado Warning

Should weather conditions deteriorate and a tornado happens, the director will immediately initiate the following procedures, which must be followed without delay.

1. Sound the Alarm will be activated on the intercom system, letting all educators know of the Tornado. Upon hearing the Tornado Alarm, educators will immediately react as follows:

2. Educators and Coordinator

· Each room will have a designated safe spot where they are to evacuate to. This will be posted in each room. Children are to line up in a single file, holding the hand of the child in front and behind them. The educators will take emergency backpacks and the iPad to their designated location.

· Once in their designated spot, children are to sit on their bums in a line. Educators will do attendance.

· The children will remain in their designated place until the director advises otherwise.

· The coordinator will support the classrooms in getting to their designated safe spot and then follow up with the director for further instruction.

3. Director

· Lock the front door and post: TORNADO WARNING; PLEASE CALL (CELL NUMBER) FOR MORE INFORMATION.

· Director will begin a sweep of the center. This will start by checking in with each group to ensure all children and staff are accounted for

4. Emergency Bags

· Our emergency backpacks are equipped with flashlights (with spare batteries) and first aid kits. Educators must check batteries monthly to ensure the flashlight is in working order.

5. The designated locations for each room to evacuate to are as follows: Full-time program

· Baby Room – Staff Bathroom

· Toddler Room – Extra Bathroom in Senior Room.

· Junior Room – Junior Room Bathroom

· Senior Room – Bathroom in room.

· Preschool Room – Staff Room.

· KinderCare Room- Bathroom in room

Drop-in program

· Juniors – Seniors Bathroom

· Seniors – Disability Bathroom

Designated locations have been selected as the safest locations due to the lack of windows in those areas and the safest enclosed areas.

6. Storm Status

· The director will monitor the storm status using AEA and Environment Canada apps. If it remains safe to do so, the director and the coordinator will continue to

monitor the designated areas, supporting any required needs. Lockdown will stay in place until the warning is lifted.

Natural Disaster: Major Earthquake

1. Employees in the classroom room must immediately:

· Remain calm.

· Instruct children to find shelter under a sturdy desk or table and away from unstable structures.

· Ensure that everyone is away from windows and outer walls.

· Help children who require assistance to find shelter.

· for individuals in wheelchairs, lock the wheels and instruct the individual to duck as low as possible, and use a strong article (e.g. shelf, complex book, etc.) to protect their head and neck;

· find safe shelter for themselves.

· Visually assess the safety of all children,

· and wait for the shaking to stop.

2. Employees outdoors with children must immediately ensure that everyone stays away from buildings, power lines, trees, and other tall structures that may collapse and wait for the shaking to stop.

3. Once the shaking stops, employees must:

· Gather the children, their emergency information and emergency medication.

· Where possible, exit the building through the nearest safe exit in case of aftershock or damage to the building.

2. If possible, before exiting the building, staff should also:

· Take a first aid kit.

· Gather all non-emergency medications.

3. Individuals who have exited the building must gather at the meeting place and wait for further instructions.

4. Designated staff will:

· Help any individuals with medical and special needs who need assistance to go to the meeting place (by the procedure in a child’s individualized plan, if the individual is a child); in doing so, follow the instructions posted on special needs equipment or assistive devices during the evacuation.

· If individuals cannot be safely assisted to exit the building, the designated staff will help them and ensure their required medication is accessible, if applicable,

· wait for further instructions.

5. The site designate must conduct a walkthrough of the childcare centre to ensure all individuals have evacuated, where possible.

Other Emergencies Power Outage: Blackout

1. Check your circuit breaker panel.

2. Check to see if the neighbourhood has no power.

3. Call the power company.

4. Unplug all computers and electronic devices to reduce the initial demand when the power is reconnected.

5. Turn off all lights except one, alerting you when the power has been restored.

6. Once the power is restored, plug in all electronic devices.

7. Children will be sent home if the power is gone for more than an hour.