EVACUATION CARE PLAN

Policy: Evacuation and care for children needing to be evacuated from the centre due to a civil emergency; such as fire, earthquake, flooding, storms, volcano, chemical, gas emissions. Tsunami etc.

Rationale: Civil emergencies may make the occupation or operation of an early childhood centre inappropriate; such as placing children at further risk or becoming incapable of effective and safe operation. Planning enables the process of evacuation and alternative care to be carried out effectively and efficiently.

OBJECTIVES:

Children will have continued care in an alternative safe place until such time as their parents or officials can collect or take responsibility for them.

POLICY & RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE:

1. Heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could topple or fall and cause serious injury or damage are secured.
2. In the case of a Civil Defence emergency, Bright Beginnings will follow all the instructions that are set out by Civil Defence. The manager or person responsible will then make the decision to evacuate (ie implement the evacuation plan) taking into account the immediate and longer term safety of all present at the centre.
3. If we are informed to stay at our premises, then all children and staff/adults will stay in the premises of Bright Beginnings.
4. Decision to evacuate will be made if:

• ordered or advised to do so by officials.
• the building becomes structurally or environmentally unsafe. (ie fire, earthquake, flood).
• the area or environment becomes unsafe (ie Gas or chemical leak or local fire).
• a potential threat is likely to make continued occupation of the property unsafe (Civil Defence warning).

1. Evacuation will include:

• where possible advise all parents of the preparations/new location, by phone.
• taking ‘Ready Care Survival Kit’, phone and when appropriate food, drink, blankets and children’s necessities.
• when appropriate leave a notice attached to front entrance of building/or property to advise and describe where the staff and children have relocated to, how to get there and if possible advise of the new contact phone number.
• Advise police, Civil Defence officials, and neighbours.
• Moving all persons present to the Assembly point (grass corner area in centre carpark), and checking attendance registers to ensure everyone is present.
• where possible checking all parts of the building and if time and appropriate, turn off water and electrical at mains supply, and secure premises.

1. Transport and/or relocation movement arrangements will:

• Ensure all persons stay together in a group while walking to a safer designation.
• Ensure staff/adults take care of a specified number of children during relocation.
• On arrival check all children against attendance registers. Check all rostered staff and visitors are present.
• Register, if appropriate with officials or advise police and Civil Defence officials, of arrival.
• If necessary transport children by motor vehicle (refer travel policy). On signing the enrolment form parents are agreeing to the following statement regarding travel by a motor vehicle: “In the event of an emergency (including illness/accident) where the parents/Whanau cannot be contacted. I give permission for the centre to take whatever actions necessary to safeguard the well-being of my child”.

The planned route:

In the event of an evacuation the manager or person responsible at the time will make their decisions based on protecting the wellbeing of all people present. Our ideal planned destination is the base of the Papamoa Hills. We will leave the centre and head towards Parton Road along Dickson Road. At the intersection at Parton Road we will turn right and head towards Bell Road. We will turn right onto Bell Road heading towards State Highway 2 (Tauranga East Road). At the intersection of Bell Road and State highway 2 we will turn left and head towards Poplar Lane, the first road on the Right. We will turn Right at Poplar Lane and head all the way to the end of this road where we will park wherever possible closest to the car park of the Papamoa Regional Park entrance. We will plan to walk up the hill using the main stair access. PLEASE NOTE this is a planned route not an actual route. In the event of an evacuation it is possible this route may be closed or unsafe if this is the case the person responsible will make a decision based on protecting everyone in our care. We will be doing all we can to contact parents and whaanau during this process.

There is a map of this route attached to the back of this policy.

1. Options for care and release of children are:

• If previously not possible, parents will be contacted to advise new location and to pick up their children.
• Staff will be required to stay and care for children, until released by person responsible.
• Staff will ensure children are comforted, basic needs met and safe.
• Where possible all Regulations and service features will be continued as if the children/staff were at the licensed centre.
• Children will be released to parents or other person if they have consent (refer ‘Release of Children Policy’), and will be marked off on the attendance register.
• Person responsible should make diary notes of significant events and contacts.
• Person’s responsible duties and responsibilities will end when the last child has been released.

1. Fire and Earthquake drills are practiced once a term in the centre with the children and staff.

1. This policy will be displayed prominently on the premises.