The end of school and start of summer child-care arrangements is a good time to go over plans for coping with a disaster or other major event.
Whether your child attends a summer child-care program or stays at home with a nanny, sitter or someone who is not a relative, make sure plans are in place and everyone is on the same page.
FOR DAY-CARE FACILITIES
Find out how children will be evacuated and where they will go. Providers should have at least two evacuation sites, and parents should know where they are.
Provide at least two ways to be contacted, including through someone outside their geographic area.
Ask the program director for a contact number or a way to get information during an emergency.
Keep your contact information with the school current.
Provide an extra supply of medicine if a child takes it regularly.
Inquire how infants and children with special needs will be tended.
Home-based or small care centers should make sure they are known to emergency officials. Some centers are tucked away in neighborhoods, churches and community buildings.
Providers should make name tags or ID bands ahead of time for each child in case a child gets separated during an evacuation.
Providers should learn about the types of disasters likely to occur in their areas, and know when to stay put and when to evacuate.
Have three days worth of food and supplies for everyone.
FOR SITTERS AND NANNIES
Discuss evacuation plans and meeting spots.
Prepare a kit that includes information like phone numbers and emergency contacts and copies of the children’s birth certificates and health insurance information.
Include contacts out of the geographic area.
Make a list of phone numbers of your caregivers’ relatives or friends.
Leave $150 in cash for each day a nanny may be evacuated with the children.
Fill out a form allowing her to get medical treatment for them.
Have three days worth of food, water and supplies for everyone, including medicine.
FOR PARENTS
Realize you can’t plan for everything.
Include plans for taking care of pets: prepare a kit with, water and food bowls, pet food, medication and leashes.
Be sure your pets’ tags are up to date.
Associated Press
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