Plan for the hazards around your home
Begin with the events your area and building could realistically face: fire, severe weather, power loss, extreme temperatures, hazardous-material release, missing child, intruder, or a medical emergency. For each one, decide whether you would evacuate, shelter in place, or move to a safer interior location.
Choose two evacuation destinations—one nearby and one farther away—and a transportation plan that works for every enrolled child, including infants and children who need mobility, communication, medication, or sensory support.
- Primary and alternate exits
- Two reunification locations
- Emergency transportation
- Accommodation plans
- Utility shutoff information
Make communication usable under stress
Keep current family contacts, authorized pickup names, emergency numbers, allergy information, medications, and attendance records together in a grab-and-go format. Store a backup in a secure place that remains available if you cannot re-enter the home.
Write short message templates for evacuation, sheltering, delayed pickup, and reunification. Decide which method comes first—text, call, app, or email—and name a backup contact who can help if your phone is unavailable.
Practice, record, and improve
A binder is not a plan until the people using it have practiced. Schedule drills at the frequency required by your state and local authorities. Record the date, time, type of drill, children and adults present, how long it took, and one improvement for next time.
Review the plan whenever enrollment, staffing, room use, phone numbers, or regulations change. Check batteries, emergency supplies, medications, and contact lists on a regular calendar rather than waiting for an inspection.
What to do next
A practical starting plan
- Check state and local emergency requirements
- Choose two reunification sites
- Prepare a secure grab-and-go record set
- Assign adult roles and backups
- Run and document the next drill
Common questions
Helpful answers before you go
Is one emergency plan valid in every state?
No. Licensing, fire, health, and emergency-management requirements vary. Use a general template only as an organizer and verify every requirement with your official agencies.
Should emergency medication travel during evacuation?
Follow the child’s care plan, medication instructions, and licensing rules. Build the transport responsibility into your written plan and drills.
How often should I update family contacts?
Confirm them at enrollment and on a regular schedule, then update immediately after a family or authorized-pickup change.
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