Embedded Files
Tornado Drills
In the event of a tornado warning in the area of Gads Hill Center's Child Development Center, staff will proceed as follows:
· If a tornado/ severe weather is suspected, administrative staff will monitor a weather radio, if available. If a weather radio is unavailable, administrative staff will contact the National Weather Broadcasting Service.
· Administrative staff will sound two prolonged blasts of an air horn to notify all staff of a tornado warning. This alert will be repeated three times. Front office staff will follow this alert using the phone system to page the entire building and attention staff of the emergency.
· Teachers will count children and then lead the group out of the room and out of the emergency exit door at the rear of the center. Teachers will bring attendance books with them.
· Teachers will lead their group down the emergency exit stairwell and into the hallway of the SCI first floor. Children will be lined up along the walls and instructed to sit against the wall with their heads between their knees and arms covering their heads. No children will be seated near the doorway.
· Administrative and support staff will check all classrooms for children and close classroom doors. Staff will then proceed down the emergency exit stairwell to the SCI first floor.
· Teachers and staff should be seated with children on the floor and should assist in keeping children calm and safe.
· Administrative staff will communicate with Sinai security and the National Weather Broadcasting Service to determine when the warning has ended. An "all-clear" will be announced, and children, teachers, and staff will return to the center.
· If a warning or drill occurs during rest time, teachers will wake children and have children line up carrying their shoes. Shoes will be put on once children arrive on the SCI first floor.
Note: Unannounced tornado drills will be conducted twice annually. The same procedures must be followed for drills.
Fire Plans
Emergency fire evacuation plans are clearly posted in every room at all Gads Hill Center sites indicating the primary and secondary routes for exit routes in case of fire. Staff and children practice responding to the alarm by leaving the building with attendance records and moving away from the building to designated safe areas. Fire drills are completed at least once per month and recorded in an emergency drill log.
1. In accordance with The Rules for the Licensing of Child Care Facilities, monthly fire and emergency lighting drills will be conducted in each center. The Site Manager, or another designee, will conduct the drills in the Head Start-owned centers. Lead Teachers will perform this duty in other classroom settings.
2. Posted fire evacuation floor plans will be located in each classroom/office near the door.
3. Written documentation of monthly drills will be posted on the Fire Drill, Evacuation, and Monthly Systems Check List Form.
4. All Staff and children will be evacuated from the building within a 3-minute time frame.
5. Children are introduced to the fire drill /evacuation plan prior to the actual drill to alleviate fear. This will help children to understand the importance of safety practices.
6. Alternative exit routes should be practiced after a routine is established, and children are familiar with the process.
7. Fire drills must be practiced and documented monthly. All exits must be unobstructed and easily operable.
8. Documentation of fire drills must be recorded on the Fire Drill - Evacuation- Monthly Systems Checklist and be visibly posted. At the end of the program year, Fire Drill - Evacuation- Monthly Systems Checklists are copied and turned in to the Operations Manager.
9. A copy of the previous year’s log should remain onsite and posted behind the current Fire Drill Log. Approved, working fire extinguishers are readily available.
10. All sites are inspected by the local fire marshal annually or bi-annually. This inspection includes fire extinguishers.
11. Any fire extinguishers past their annual service date should be reported immediately to the Facilities Coordinator or Operations Manager.
12. Smoke detectors and emergency lighting must be placed throughout the facility following local regulations and codes.
13. Records of testing of smoke detectors and emergency lighting are kept on the Fire Drill -Evacuation- Monthly Systems Checklist. Carbon Monoxide detectors will be used in areas where children sleep, and be tested monthly and documented on the Fire Drill- Evacuation- Monthly Systems Checklist.
Food Safety and Safety Chocking Hazards
High-risk foods are often implicated in choking incidents. Almost 90% of fatal choking occurs in children younger than four years of age. The compressibility or density of a food item is what allows the food to conform to and completely block the airway. Hot dogs are the foods most commonly associated with fatal choking in children. Many children die from choking each year. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) believe that parents and other caregivers can often prevent choking.
Guidance: To reduce the risk of choking, menus should reflect the developmental abilities of the age of children served. Round, firm foods are common choking dangers. The following foods can be choking hazards and therefore will be avoided:
Nuts Chunks of meat or cheese
Whole grapes
Raisins Popcorn
Chunks of butter
Raw carrots
Hot dogs
Food for infants should be cut into pieces a one-quarter inch or smaller, and food for toddlers should be cut into pieces a one-half inch or smaller to prevent choking. In addition, children must be closely supervised during mealtimes to ensure they are sitting while they have food in their mouths. *These items may be served if appropriately cut, chopped or sliced so they are no longer in a round firm state. Carrots can be cooked to soften for toddlers.
Environmental Safety
Environmental Hazards
There can be things inside the classroom that can harm children. There can also be hazards found in the dust and dirt in or around your home and yard. The following are examples of hazards found where children live and what staff should do about them.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a natural fiber that was often used for fireproofing, insulating, and soundproofing between the 1940s and 1970s. Asbestos is only dangerous when it becomes crumbly. If that happens, asbestos fibers get into the air and are breathed into the lungs. Breathing in these fibers can cause chronic health problems, including a rare form of lung cancer. Asbestos can still be found in some older buildings, often as insulation around pipes. Sub-Recipients and Partners are required by law to remove asbestos or ensure that children are not exposed to it. Don't allow children to play near exposed or crumbling materials that may contain asbestos.
Carbon monoxide
carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas with no taste, color, or odor. It comes from kitchen appliances or heaters that burn gas, oil, wood, propane, or kerosene. Carbon monoxide poisoning is very dangerous. If left unchecked, exposure to CO can lead to memory loss, personality changes, brain damage, and death.
● Call the Poison Help number at 1-800-222-1222 if centers/agencies suspect CO poisoning.
● Talk with your Health Consultant/Nurse right away if everyone in the site has flu-like symptoms (headache, fatigue, nausea) at the same time, especially if the symptoms go away when you leave the house.
● Put CO detectors in each classroom and in the halls of the centers.
● Have furnaces, wood stoves, fireplaces, gas-fired water heaters, ovens, ranges, and clothes dryers checked and serviced yearly.
Emergencies
The following responses will be utilized in case of emergency (See GHC Emergency Preparedness Manual):
Evacuation: to be used when there is a threat inside the building, and it is safest to move through the building to exit – such as a fire emergency. Evacuation map routes will be used to leave the building, and staff and children will gather at designated locations outside the building following the evacuation plan.
Shelter-in-place: to be used when there is a threat outside of the building, and it is safest to remain in the building – such as during a tornado warning or community violence. Following procedures, individuals will gather in designated locations (such as hallways) away from windows.
lockdown: to be used when there is a threat inside the building, and it is safest to hide in place – such as a hostile intruder. Individuals will lock the interior door of whatever room they are in and silently move to the area of the room that is the most out of site following procedures.
In case of a threat inside the building, the first option must be to evacuate. Lockdown procedures will only be utilized when it is deemed unsafe to leave the building. Shelter-in-place procedures are used when the threat is outside of the building.
Child Education
GHC requires all drills/exercises must be recorded. Sites must keep a roster of all children during the drill. Children with special health care needs and disabilities should be included in all drills to determine if additional attention or accommodations may be needed.
Teaching staff are encouraged to invite first responders to become part of their emergency planning, training, and drills. Sites should time all evacuation procedures. Staff should aim to evacuate all persons in the specific number of minutes (specify) recommended by local fire officials (for fire evacuation), law enforcement officials, or emergency response personnel.
During evacuation drills or when moving children from areas of potential danger, designated evacuation cribs can be used to evacuate infants and/or children with special health care needs or disabilities.
Outdoor Safety
GHC requires before introducing children to any environment, staff must complete an environmental scan for potential dangers. These environments include but are not limited to classrooms, outdoor play spaces, and indoor play spaces. The first staff to open a classroom for the day will complete an environmental scan and complete a safety checklist. Next, staff will conduct a brief inspection of any other program space before entering with the children. These spaces include but are not limited to gross motor areas and libraries. Next, staff will ensure safe weather before taking children outdoors for play or neighborhood walks. Staff will take children outdoors to play every day when the temperature is between 25- and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, taking into account wind chill and heat index. The Site Director will determine when the weather is appropriate for an outdoor play taking into account temperature, as well as air quality, precipitation, snow on the ground, ice, and risk of exposure to insect-borne diseases.
When taking children outdoors to play, staff must:
▪ be aware of and avoid any community violence dangers
▪ ensure children have appropriate clothing for cold weather
▪ encourage children to drink water often during hot weather
▪ keep infants and toddlers out of direct sunlight
▪ closely observe children for signs of being too hot or too cold
When entering an on-site playground, staff must ensure that there is:
▪ no dangerous debris or trash in the area
▪ no broken components or equipment
▪ proper protective covering underneath the playground (if woodchips are in place, they must surpass the designated point on all playground posts) 79
When selecting and entering an off-site playground, staff must:
▪ ensure there are at least two staff members present with children (no staff member may take children to an off-site playground alone)
▪ inspect the playground carefully using the Playground Checklist before allowing children to enter the area to ensure the playground meets all safety requirements of the Playground Checklist
▪ follow all supervision procedures while at the off-site playground
General Safety Guidelines
Child Safety
Staff will adhere to the following to protect the safety of children in programs:
▪ Aerosol sprays must not be used when children are present.
▪ Cleaning supplies and other toxic materials will be labeled and stored out of the reach of children.
▪ Universal Precautions will be followed at all times.
▪ All classrooms must be childproofed appropriate to the age of the children using the classroom. Any equipment, materials, or supplies deemed unsafe for the age group will be stored out of the reach of children. These items may include but are not limited to scissors, paint, and other art supplies, and toys with small pieces, including staff personal items, i.e., purses.
▪ Staff are required to follow licensing group sizes and ratios and use the supervision of children procedures at all times.
Staff Safety
▪ Closed-toe shoes must be worn at all times.
▪ When walking on stairways, hold onto handrails for safety.
▪ After playing, children clean up after themselves and put toys and materials away to avoid potential accidents.
▪ Care should be taken when walking on cracked or icy ground surfaces.
▪ Always bend your knees while keeping your back straight before picking up heavy items.
When selecting and entering an off-site playground, staff must:
▪ ensure there are at least two staff members present with children (no staff member may take children to an off-site playground alone)
▪ inspect the playground carefully using the Playground Checklist before allowing children to enter the area to ensure the playground meets all safety requirements of the Playground Checklist
▪ follow all supervision procedures while at the off-site playground
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