HomeCategoryResources

Every licensed Child Care Facility within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is required to create or have an Emergency Plan. Below shows the current Pennsylvania Code as it relates to a Child Care Emergency Plan.

§ 3270.27. Emergency plan.

 (a)  The facility shall have an emergency plan that provides for:

   (1)  Shelter of children during an emergency including shelter in place at the facility and shelter at locations away from the facility premises.

   (2)  Evacuation of children from the facility building and evacuation of children to a location away from the facility premises. The evacuation routes and evacuation plans to exit the building may be the same as those required by §  3270.94(f) and (g) (relating to fire drills).

   (3)  A method for facility persons to contact parents as soon as reasonably possible when an emergency situation arises.

   (4)  A method for facility persons to inform parents that the emergency has ended and to provide instruction as to how parents can safely be reunited with their children.

 (b)  The operator shall review the emergency plan at least annually and update the plan as needed. Each review and update of the emergency plan shall be documented in writing and kept on file at the facility.

 (c)  Each facility person shall receive training regarding the emergency plan at the time of initial employment, on an annual basis and at the time of each plan update. The date of each training and the name of each facility person who received the training shall be documented in writing and kept on file at the facility.

 (d)  The emergency plan shall be posted in the facility at a conspicuous location.

 (e)  The operator shall provide to the parent of each enrolled child a letter explaining the emergency procedures described in subsection (a). The operator shall also provide to the parent of each enrolled child a letter explaining any subsequent update to the plan.

 (f)  The operator shall send a copy of the emergency plan and subsequent plan updates to the county emergency management agency.

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency has developed a Child Care Facility Tool Kit that outlines the basic requirements needed to assist in developing an effective Emergency Plan. You may also download the resources by visiting the links below.

Downloadable Content:
Day Care Emergency Planning Guide
Day Care Basic Emergency Plan
Day Care Emergency Check List
Day Care Supporting Documents

You may submit your Child Care Emergency Plan to our office through postal mail or you may also email your plan to Planning Officer at em@lcdes.org.

PREPAREDNESS

Preparedness is an important quality in achieving goals and in avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes. Preparedness is a major part of emergency management. Methods of preparation include research, estimation, planning, resourcing, education, practicing and rehearsing.

A disaster can affect entire communities, so everyone must be ready, by making a plan, being informed, and taking action to mitigate the effects of future disasters. The idea of whole community preparedness is “By working together, everyone can keep the nation safe from harm and resilient when struck by hazards, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and pandemics.”

Advice and sample plans for individuals and families can be found by visiting ready.gov

RESPONSE

Response efforts involve maintaining the highest state of preparedness and standing ready to respond on a moment’s notice to provide leadership, response coordination and management, situational awareness, emergency communications, and to support county and local governments in providing critical lifesaving and life-sustaining services to our citizens and visitors in Pennsylvania. Response at LCDES involves strategic planning, policy development, implementation, and integration of all emergency management response program services.

RECOVERY

Disaster recovery is the cumulative effort of federal, state, and local governments in conjunction with non-governmental organizations and private industries pooling financial and personnel resources to assist disaster-impacted communities with  reconstructing homes, providing housing, restoring health, social and community services, rebuilding infrastructure, restoring natural and cultural services and revitalizing the economy.

MITIGATION

Hazard Mitigation is the measures taken to protect life and property from future disaster damages.  In emergency management, hazards are natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. Hazard mitigation means reducing, eliminating, redirecting, or avoiding the effects of those hazards. The standard definition of hazard mitigation that is often used by FEMA is any cost-effective action taken to eliminate or reduce the long-term risk to life and property from natural and technological hazards.

PREPAREDNESS

Preparedness is an important quality in achieving goals and in avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes. Preparedness is a major part of emergency management. Methods of preparation include research, estimation, planning, resourcing, education, practicing and rehearsing.

A disaster can affect entire communities, so everyone must be ready, by making a plan, being informed, and taking action to mitigate the effects of future disasters. The idea of whole community preparedness is “By working together, everyone can keep the nation safe from harm and resilient when struck by hazards, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and pandemics.”

Advice and sample plans for individuals and families can be found by visiting ready.gov.