Head Start
 

Emergency Preparedness
 

Manual: 2015 Edition
 

 

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Office of Head Start 

School readiness begins with health! 
Preface 

From time to time, communities around the country face catastrophic 

natural and man-made disasters. Wildfires in California, hurricanes along 

the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, floods in the Midwest, and school shootings 

across the country are examples in recent years that garnered national attention. 

Consider the following: 

In 2014—there were 51 major disaster and emergency declarations 

In 2013—there were 67 major disaster and emergency declarations 

In 2012—there were 63 major disaster and emergency declarations 

In 2011—there were 128 major disaster and emergency declarations.1 

Preparedness

Recovery Response

Head Start Emergency 

Preparedness Manual: 

2015 Edition 

Preparedness—Response—Recovery 

Head Start plays an important role in supporting children and families in their local communities before, 

during and after an emergency. The Office of Head Start has developed the Head Start Emergency 

Preparedness Manual, 2015 Edition to provide Head Start programs with the latest tools and resources 

to guide their emergency preparedness planning process. 

The 2015 Edition is organized around 3 phases of emergency planning: 

• Preparedness 

• Response 

• Recovery 

This manual includes numerous links to resources available from the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA), the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Ready.gov to help programs 

develop, practice and revise their emergency preparedness plans. New sections include the mental health 

aspects of emergency preparedness, and considerations for children and staff with access, functional and 

other needs. 

1

FEMA. Accessed at https://www.fema.gov/disasters/grid/year 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Preface 

This 2015 edition of the Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual is part of a 3-piece set of Head Start 

materials on emergency preparedness. The following two resources were developed to complement the 

manual: 

•	 Responding to Crises and Tragic Events: Information and Handouts 

This resource provides information and easy-to-use tip sheets and letters to help support 


children, staff and families affected by a crisis or tragic event. 


•	 Responding to Crises and Tragic Events: Planning, Reviewing, and Practicing Your Program’s 

Emergency Preparedness Plans 

This resource provides information for Head Start programs on testing, practicing and updating 

emergency preparedness plans. Detailed checklists on a wide range of crises and natural disasters are 

provided as a starting point for emergency preparedness. 

The two resources above are available on the Office of Head Start Emergency Preparedness website at 

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/ep 

Note: Throughout the manual, when the words “Head Start” are used, it is understood to include Early
 

Head Start, as well as American Indian Alaska Native (AIAN) and Migrant and Seasonal programs.
 

The website links listed in this manual were current at the time of its publication. If a website link is broken,
 

contact that organization directly for assistance or the Office of Head Start National Center on Health at
 

nchinfo@aap.org
 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 3 OF 93 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Table of Contents
 

Chapter 1: Introduction 

6 Overview 

7 What is emergency preparedness? 

9 Key terms 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

10 Why is emergency preparedness important? 

10 What are the national standards and regulations related to 

emergency preparedness? 

11 Be informed 

14 Make a plan 

15 Build a kit 

15 Practice 

16 Training 

17 Communication 

19 Get Involved 

19 What does preparedness look like in a Head Start program? 

Chapter 3: Response 

21 What is response?
 

21 Evacuation and shelter-in place
 

21 How is a plan implemented?
 

23 What does response look like in a Head Start program?
 

Chapter 4: Recovery 

24 What is recovery?
 

25 Assistance and recovery resources
 

26 What does recovery look like in a Head Start program?
 

Chapter 5: Public Health Emergencies 

27 Preparing, responding and controlling public health emergencies 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

33 What resources do programs need to support families in 

emergency preparedness and recovery? 

34 Helping families develop their own emergency preparedness plans 

• 4 Steps to share with families 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Table of Contents continued 

Chapter 7: Mental Health and Emotional Needs 

42 Coping with disaster 

44 Tip sheets and sample letters 

Chapter 8: Accommodating Access, Functional and Other Needs 

Chapter 9: What Have Head Start Programs Learned from Disasters? 

Chapter 10: Conclusion and Next Steps 

Chapter 11: Resources 

Appendices 

56 Emergency Preparedness Program Questionnaire 

57 Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Systems and Services 

63 The Practice-Review-Revise Cycle 

65 Influenza Prevention and Control 

71 Safe Spaces and Procedures for Threats of Violence 

72 Checklist for Staff Members and Children with Access, Functional and 

Other Needs 

74 Child Information Sheet 

76 Emergency Kit Checklist for Evacuation 

77 Evacuation Checklist 

80 Emergency Treatment Permission Form 

81 Emergency Contact Form 

82 Organizational Roles and Responsibilities Is Emergency 

Preparedness 

83 Reunification Procedures 

84 Shelter-In Place: Things to Keep in Mind 

85 Emergency Kit Checklist for Sheltering-In Place 

86 Shelter-In Place & Lockdown 

90 Site Closing Procedures 

91 Nonstructural Safety Checklist 

93 Grab-and-Go Kit Checklist 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 1: Introduction
 

Overview 

Emergencies occur suddenly and disastrously 

and can leave you feeling overwhelmed and 

powerless. Being prepared can lessen some of 

these feelings. It can help protect you, families, 

and property. Emergency preparedness 

planning helps you to be ready to help 

others who may be affected. By preparing for 

emergency situations, you ensure that staff and 

families know how to make decisions and take 

appropriate actions before, during and after an 

emergency. 

Planning is a key component of your current 

systems and services in Head Start. Your 

program creates, maintains, and revises plans 

on service delivery to children and families. 

These satisfy requirements of the Head Start 

Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) 

and serve as working documents to guide your 

everyday activities. Emergency preparedness 

plans are not new. They build upon existing 

program plans to make sure that systems 

and procedures are in place to keep everyone 

healthy and safe. 

Your program has fire drills, emergency 

weather procedures, and other necessary 

plans that cover a variety of emergencies. This 

manual is designed to help you determine 

if your program has considered all of the 

possible emergencies that may happen, and 

if appropriate plans, practice, response, and 

recovery steps are in place. 

Before you continue reading, take a moment 

and consider the following questions:2 

Be Informed 

What does my program need to learn about 

protective measures to take before, during and 

after an emergency? 

Make A Plan 

What are my program’s plans to prepare, plan 

and stay informed about emergencies? 

Build a Kit 

What disaster supplies does my program need 

to have in the event of an emergency? 

Get Involved 

Who can I work with in my community and 

how can I support community emergency 

preparedness planning? 

Comprehensive emergency preparedness plans 

consider the answers to these questions. By 

being informed, making plans, building kits, 

and being involved with community emergency 

preparedness partners, you help ensure that 

your Head Start program is able to handle 

whatever may happen. 

This manual covers each phase of an emergency 

(preparedness, response, recovery) to assist 

you in the development of an emergency 

preparedness plan that is comprehensive, 

collaborative, and effective. The more prepared 

you are, the more likely you are to reduce losses 

and rebuild faster after a loss. 

2

The headings and suggested action steps, Be Informed, Make A Plan, Build a Kit, and Get Involved are from the Ready. gov website 

accessed at www.ready.gov 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 1: Introduction 

FIVE REASONS 

TO PREPARE 

1. Emergencies, large and small, occur in 

every community, even yours. 

2. You’re already doing it! Every program 

prepares plans to meet requirements of 

the Head Start Program Performance 

Standards. 

3. As a member of your community, you 

participate in local planning efforts. 

Your emergency preparedness plans 

complement these efforts by focusing 

on how your program fits into the 

community plan. 

4. Your input is essential to develop 

a plan that works. Administrators, 

staff members, family members and 

members of the community at large 

collaborate together. 

5. Emergency preparedness is a dynamic 

planning process of practice, review, 

and revision that is essential to 

program excellence. 

This manual has been organized to support you 

as you create, practice, revise and implement 

your program’s emergency preparedness 

plans. The phases, preparedness, response 

and recovery, are discussed in detail. Links to 

resources, who to contact, and information on 

topics such as mental health and emotional 

needs during an emergency are provided to 

give you a comprehensive picture of emergency 

preparedness for Head Start programs. 

There are many people within 

Head Start and your community 

that can assist you with your 

emergency preparedness plans. 

Trying to anticipate all the emergencies that 

could affect your program may seem daunting. 

This manual aims to give you the information 

and tools needed to assist you. Remember, you 

do not have to do everything at once or alone. 

There are many people within Head Start and 

your community to assist you. Getting started is 

the most important step you can take. 

What Is Emergency 

Preparedness? 

At times, Head Start staff, children, and families 

are faced with the unexpected. Almost everyday, 

there is a news story about an emergency that 

affects individuals, families, communities or 

regions. Appearing suddenly or with minimal 

warning, an emergency can leave programs 

and families without basic necessities such as 

food and shelter. An emergency can take many 

forms. Head Start staff members need to know 

how to respond appropriately and quickly 

to situations most likely to happen in their 

geographical region. 

Emergency preparedness is the ability to react 

appropriately by knowing what measures 

should be taken before, during and after an 

emergency. This manual organizes information 

on emergency preparedness using the following 

three phases: 

• Preparedness 

• Response 

• Recovery 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 1: Introduction 

Preparedness 

The preparedness phase takes place before an emergency or disaster. It includes being informed, 

making plans and building emergency/disaster supplies kits. 

Response 

The response phase begins during the moments when you are alerted to an impending emergency 

and when the emergency actually occurs. 

Recovery 

The recovery phase includes the hours, days, weeks or years (in extreme cases) after an emergency 

occurs when efforts are focused on food, water, shelter, and the safety of those affected. It includes 

determining long-term plans for assisting community members in returning to their everyday lives 

by coping with losses from an emergency or disaster. 

Once a program responds to and recovers from a disaster or emergency, even if it is a drill, the 

phases may be revisited for process improvement. The process improvement can also occur on an 

annual, or twice annually, basis to make sure that the program’s plans are up-to-date and relevant. 

See section on mitigation 

 

 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 1: Introduction 

Key Terms 

The use of consistent terminology and 

language is critical because it provides 

common ground for everyone to understand 

each other. Speaking with “one voice” helps to 

facilitate communication between Head Start 

staff, community partners, and emergency 

management officials. 

It should be noted, however, that everyone 

involved in the development of your emergency 

preparedness plan should feel comfortable 

asking for clarification of any term not 

understood. Sometimes different agencies, 

programs or people may use a term in a 

slightly different way. Always ask if you do not 

understand a term or the use of a word. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) provides a comprehensive listing 

of emergency related terms at https://www. 

fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program/ 

definitions. The following is a list of key terms 

used in this manual. These terms are often used 

in emergency preparedness efforts. 

Emergency:* An emergency is a serious, 

unexpected, and often dangerous situation 

requiring immediate action. www.fema.gov 

Disaster:* A serious disruption of the 

functioning of a community or society causing 

widespread human, material, economic or 

environmental losses which exceed the ability of 

the affected community or society to cope using 

its own resources. http://www.who.int/hac/ 

about/definitions/en/ 

*Note: In this document emergency and 

disaster are interchangeable 

“All hazards” approach: The development of 

a plan that considers the many different threats 

and hazards. See http://www.ready.gov/ 

planning for more information. 

Emergency/Disaster plan: A written plan 

that describes the practices and procedures 

used to prepare for and respond to emergency 

or disaster situations. http://cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/9.2.4.3 

Emergency kit/Disaster supplies kit: 

Essential items that individuals or programs 

would need for the first 72 hours after a 

disaster. http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit 

Evacuation: When disaster conditions require 

that you seek immediate protection at another 

location. www.ready.gov 

Mitigation: The effort to reduce loss of life and 

property by lessening the impact of disasters. 

http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation 

Preparedness: Comprehensive planning 

for each phase of an emergency. A sound 

emergency preparedness plan helps your 

program respond appropriately and quickly to 

circumstances that occur. 

Resilience: The capacity to rise above difficult 

circumstances, the trait that allows us to exist 

in this less-than-perfect world while moving 

forward with optimism and confidence. 

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ 

healthy-living/emotional-wellness/BuildingResilience/Pages/default.aspx 

Risk assessment: It is a process to identify 

potential hazards and analyze what could 

happen if a hazard occurs. Programs can 

identify potential hazards including natural 

events, technological incidents, man-made 

disasters, and terrorist hazards. Identifying the 

most likely events up front helps customize the 

planning process to ensure that the program 

or team is ready for most situations likely to 

happen in their areas. http://www.ready.gov/ 

risk-assessment 

Shelter-in place: The process of staying 

where you are and taking shelter, rather than 

trying to evacuate. http://www.naccrra. 

org/publications/naccrra-publications/ 

publications/8960503_Disaster Report-SAVE_ 

MECH.pdf 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness
 

Why Is Emergency 

Preparedness Important? 

Emergency situations arise suddenly. 

They can be devastating to programs and 

communities. When programs prepare in 

advance, the negative effects of an emergency 

can be reduced. While you may not be able 

to anticipate everything that might happen, 

comprehensive planning for each phase of 

an emergency can give you peace of mind. 

Planning helps you to be in a position to protect 

the health and safety of children, families and 

staff members. Being prepared may allow you 

to resume program services promptly and 

support the community at large. 

Being prepared has real benefits: 

•	 Reduces fears and anxiety 

•	 Helps your program respond quickly 

•	 Lessens losses that accompany disasters 

•	 Helps avoid dangers, sometimes completely 

A sound emergency preparedness plan helps 

your program respond appropriately and 

quickly to circumstances that occur. This helps 

reduce risks to everyone within your Head Start 

community. 

Preparedness includes the following actions: 

•	 Developing your emergency preparedness 

planning team 

•	 Connecting with community emergency 

management officials to identify local hazards 

and review incident data 

•	 Determining what crisis plans exist for 

your program, local school district, and 

community 

3http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/crisisplanning.html 

•	 Identifying all stakeholders involved in crisis 

planning 

•	 Developing procedures for communicating 

with staff members, families, and community 

partners 

•	 Developing accommodations for children, 

staff members and volunteers with access, 

functional and other needs in your program 

•	 Establishing procedures to account for 

students and staff members during a crisis 

•	 Gathering information about the program 

facility, such as maps and the location of 

utility shutoffs 

•	 Identifying the necessary equipment that 

needs to be assembled to assist programs in a 

crisis or emergency3 

Head Start programs do not work alone when 

they prepare and respond to emergencies or 

disasters. Head Start programs work with 

community partners, and local and regional 

emergency management officials. Head 

Start programs are part of their community’s 

emergency preparedness plan. 

What Are The National 

Standards Related to 

Emergency Preparedness? 

The Head Start Performance Standards 

(HSPPS) include requirements related to 

emergency preparedness [45 CFR 1304.22(a)] 

public health emergency procedures and [45 

CFR 1304.53 (a) (10)] facilities, materials and 

equipment. These requirements include: 

•	 45 CFR 1304.22(a)(1-5): (a) Health 

emergency procedures. Grantee and delegate 

agencies operating center-based programs 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

must establish and implement policies and 

procedures to respond to medical and dental 

health emergencies with which all staff are 

familiar and trained. At a minimum, these 

policies and procedures must include: 

(1) Posted policies and plans of action for 

emergencies that require rapid response 

on the part of staff (e.g., a child choking) 

or immediate medical or dental attention; 

(2) Posted locations and telephone numbers 

of emergency response systems. Upto-date family contact information and 

authorization for emergency care for each 

child must be readily available; 

(3) Posted emergency evacuation routes and 

other safety procedures for emergencies 

(e.g., fire or weather-related) which are 

practiced regularly (see 45 CFR 1304.53 

for additional information); 

(4) Methods of notifying parents in the event 

of an emergency involving their child; 

and 

(5) Established methods for handling cases 

of suspected or known child abuse and 

neglect that are in compliance with 

applicable Federal, State, or Tribal laws. 

•	 45 CFR 1304.22 (f) (l): maintaining wellsupplied and accessible first kits 

•	 45 CFR 1304.53 (a) (10): ensuring that 

safety measures are in place to reduce 

damage from disasters 

The National Resource Center for Health and 

Safety in Child Care and Early Education 

in partnership with the American Academy 

of Pediatrics and the American Public 

Health Association has developed Caring for 

Our Children: National Health and Safety 

Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early 

Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition 

(Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edition) standards 

related to emergency preparedness. These 

standards can be found online at www.cfoc. 

nrckids.org. A searchable database is also 

provided. 

Select standards include: 

•	 Standard 9.2.4.3: Disaster Planning, 

Training, and Communication 

•	 Standard 4.9.0.8: Supply of Food and Water 

for Disasters 

•	 Standard 10.5.0.1: State and Local Health 

Department Role 

•	 Standard 9.2.4.2: Review of Written Plan for 

Urgent Care 

•	 Standard 1.4.1.1: Pre-service Training 

Programs should be familiar with these and 

other requirements and regulations that 

protect children, families and staff members 

in emergency situations. The Office of Head 

Start has developed Compliance with Care: A 

Crosswalk Between the Head Start Program 

Performance Standards and Caring for Our 

Children, 3rd Edition. This online document 

shows how Caring for Our Children, 3rd 

Edition standards and the HSPPS connect 

on health and safety requirements, including 

emergency preparedness. The section on 

Emergency Preparedness requirements within 

Compliance with Care is available under the 

child health and safety tab at http://eclkc.ohs. 

acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/schoolreadiness/goals/crosswalk.html. 

For more information on standards and 

regulations related to your program, contact the 

following: 

•	 Local health department 

•	 Administration for Children and Families 

(ACF) Regional Management Specialist 

•	 Head Start Collaborative Office 

•	 State health department 

•	 Indian Health Services 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 11 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

EMERGENCY 

PREPAREDNESS 

PLANNING TEAM 

MEMBERS 

Your planning team should be comprised 

of people within your Head Start 

community as well as members of your 

broader community. This helps ensure 

that all components and perspectives of 

the emergency preparedness process are 

considered. 

Members may include: 

• Head Start program director 

• Head Start fiscal specialists 

• Head Start mental health consultants 

• Head Start disabilities managers 

• Head Start Policy Council members 

• Health Services Advisory Committee 

representatives 

• First responders, including those 

who work on fire, health, safety, 

law enforcement, public works, and 

emergency medical services 

• Transportation partners 

• Head Start staff representatives 

• Head Start family representatives 

• ACF Regional Management Specialists 

• Local health department representatives 

• Community service agency personnel 

• School district officials or school 

principals (especially if your Head start 

program is located within a school) 

• Community physicians who are 

disaster experts 

•	 Community emergency management 

agencies and first responders 

Be Informed 

Before programs can develop emergency 

plans, they must know what plans they should 

have in place. Programs need to be informed 

about hazards, risks for emergencies, and 

emergency preparedness plans. An emergency 

preparedness program questionnaire is 

available in the appendices as a starting point 

for assessing your program’s current plans. 

As noted earlier, you do not work alone as 

you plan and prepare. To determine what 

emergencies might occur in your program and 

the effects that may result, Head Start programs 

work with an emergency preparedness 

planning team to help identify the hazards 

Find your Regional Emergency 


Management Specialist
 

Go to http:www.acf.hhs.gov/
 

programs/ohsepr/early-childhood or 


email ohsepr@acf.hhs.gov
 

or emergencies that have happened or could 

happen in their local area and develop plans for 

each situation. 

Local emergency management offices and 

your ACF Regional Emergency Management 

Specialist for your region can help your 

program identify the hazards in your area, share 

local plans and recommendations for planning, 

preparing, responding, and recovering. They 

can provide or help you find the answers to the 

following questions: 

•	 What hazards are most likely? 

•	 What can be done to mitigate risks? 

•	 How will your program get alerts and 

warnings? 

4

 www.ready.gov Accessed at http://www.ready.gov/community-and-other-plans 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

•	 What is the advice and plans for shelter-in 

place and evacuation in different situations? 

•	 Are there emergency contact numbers for 

specific emergencies? 

•	 Are there opportunities for preparedness 

education and training? 

•	 Does your community have a plan and what 

should you know about this plan?4 

As a starting point, your planning team may 

wish to use the hazard/emergency-specific 

checklists provided in the supplement to this 

manual, Responding to Crises and Tragic 

Events: Planning, Reviewing and Practicing 

Your Emergency Preparedness Plans (see 

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/ 

health/ep). For each step, your planning team 

will need to determine who will be responsible 

for each action. 

Collaboration with Head Start 

Systems and Services 

Considering how Head Start systems and 

Head Start services may be affected by an 

emergency helps to ensure that your emergency 

preparedness efforts are coordinated and 

comprehensive. Programs should consider 

existing Head Start Systems and Head 

Start Services when developing plans. See 

Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Systems 

and Services in the appendices for more details 

on what to consider when thinking about 

emergency preparedness and Head Start 

Systems and Services. 

Mitigation 

Once risks have been identified, your program 

can work with the planning team and other 

community and regional partners to determine 

strategies for reducing damage. This is often 

called mitigation. Mitigation can also refer to 

strategies used after or during an emergency to 

reduce loss or damage. 

Examples of Mitigation 

Activities 

• A program in an area prone to high 

winds makes sure that playground 

equipment is secured to handle high 

winds and that playground toys such as 

tricycles are stored inside. 

• A program sends out regular reminders 

to families and staff members to update 

their emergency contact information 

to make sure that each child’s parents 

or guardians are easy to find and 

communicate with in an emergency. 

As part of the program’s overall 

communication plan, certain details 

are shared with families in advance so 

that they know what to expect when 

something happens. 

• A program in an area prone to 

earthquakes works with its facilities 

manager to have the building 

examined, equipment secured, and 

ways to reduce or eliminate structural 

vulnerabilities. 

• A program works with its mental 

health consultant when it practices fire 

drills to develop strategies to lessen 

fears and anxiety associated with drills. 

It may include: 

•	 General safety mitigation: removing 

hazardous materials such as cleaning 

products, pesticides, painting supplies and 

lawn and garden products 

•	 Structural mitigation: repairing any 

component of the building with a primary 

function of supporting the dead load (e.g. 

building, roof) 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

•	 Non-structural mitigation: securing aspects 

of the building or grounds that are not 

connected to the main structure (e.g., 

bookshelves, file cabinets, furniture), making 

sure windows work properly 

•	 Non-physical mitigation: making sure 

communication systems work, maintaining 

relationships with community partners, 

updating contact information for families 

and staff members, keeping emergencyrelated Memorandums of Understanding 

with community partners up-to-date, 

keeping current records and plans in place 

to accommodate the access, functional and 

other needs of staff members and children, 

and strategies to address mental health and/ 

or emotional needs/responses 

See page 63 for more information on the 

Practice-Review-Revise Cycle and how it can be 

used for mitigation. 

See 91 of the appendices for a sample nonstructural safety checklist. Remember that 

being informed and identifying new hazards or 

risks is a continuous process. Circumstances 

change over time. Neighborhoods grow larger, 

family needs change, weather patterns change 

and an area might become more prone to 

flooding or high temperatures. Building and 

maintaining relationships with people and 

agencies in your community helps you and 

your community stay informed on changing 

needs and safety issues so that emergency 

preparedness plans stay current. 

Make A Plan 

After your program has determined its 

risks it should make a plan. Planning is the 

collaborative process your planning team 

uses to develop your program’s emergency 

preparedness plan. This plan clarifies the steps 

that staff members will take before, during and 

after an emergency. 

Keep in mind 

• Is your plan written in a way that is 

easy to understand? 

• Is the content organized in a way that is 

easy to find? 

• Do you have a manual available in a 

larger font size? 

• Do you need an audio version or copies 

in other languages? 

• Where is your written plan kept and 

how can it be accessed? 

• How should content be adapted to 

share with families? 

• Is your plan readily accessible to 

families? 

• Is your plan updated regularly? 

• Does your plan include definitions to 

ensure common understanding? 

• Does your plan address the needs 

of children and staff with access, 

functional and other health concerns? 

• Does the program “drill” or practice the 

plan at least once a year, and update it 

as needed? 

Head Start programs can approach their plan 

development very differently. All written plans 

should describe the practices and procedures 

they use to prepare for, respond to, and recover 

from emergencies and disasters and who is 

responsible for each task. 

A basic emergency preparedness plan contains 

the following: 

•	 An introduction (the purpose, rationale, and 

definitions) 

•	 List of team members and partners with 

contact information 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

•	 Roles and responsibilities 

•	 Specific tasks for each emergency phase 

(preparedness, response, and recovery) 

•	 Anticipated needs 

•	 Checklists and tools for drills, procedures, 

communication plans, disaster supplies kits, 

first aid kits, etc. 

Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edition provides 

a detailed list of what is often included in a 

written emergency preparedness plan at http:// 

cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/9.2.4.3. The 

checklists in Responding to Crises and Tragic 

Events: Planning, Reviewing, and Practicing 

Your Program’s Emergency Preparedness 

Plans, a companion piece to this manual, can 

also serve as a useful guide for what should 

be included in your plans. Your program may 

wish to include the checklists relevant to your 

program in your written emergency plan. 

Build A Kit 

Another component of emergency or disaster 

planning is to make sure that your program 

has emergency supplies and food in case your 

program needs to shelter-in place or evacuate in 

a disaster. You also need to make sure that these 

items are up-to-date and not expired. 

Work with your Health Services Advisory 

Committee (HSAC), Policy Council, community 

partners, and your ACF Regional Emergency 

Management Specialist to determine what 

should be in your disaster supplies kit, (i.e. 

first aid and other supplies that might be 

needed in an emergency or disaster). Note that 

your disaster supplies kit is in addition to and 

separate from classroom first aid kits. 

Your disaster supplies kit 


is in addition to and separate from 


classroom first aid kits.
 

Consider the following questions: 

•	 Do you and your staff members know your 

program’s schedule for updating your disaster 

supplies kit, making sure items are not expired, 

and who is responsible for doing this? 

•	 Do your staff members know where these 

supplies are located? 

•	 Are the locations of supplies clearly marked? 

•	 Do your staff members know how to use the 

contents of your disaster supplies kits? 

A number of websites provide sample kit supply 

lists that may be useful starting points for 

building kits: 

•	 American Academy of Pediatrics 

HealthyChildren.org Family Disaster supplies 

List http://www.healthychildren.org/ 

english/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/ 

Family-Disaster-Supplies-List.aspx 

•	 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Gather Emergency Supplies http:// 

emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/kit/ 

disasters/ 

•	 Ready.gov’s Build A Kit http://www.ready. 

gov/build-a-kit 

Your program’s disaster supplies kit will 

help your program manage if an emergency 

situation occurs. First Aid and disaster supplies 

kits are key to preparedness because in an 

emergency, local officials and relief workers will 

be on the scene after a disaster, but they might 

not be able to reach everyone immediately. Also, 

basic services such as electricity, gas, water 

sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off 

for days, a week, or even longer.5 

5 Ready.gov at http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

Training is an opportunity to build 

relationships with community 

partners and first responders 

Practice 

A good emergency preparedness plan helps 

your program respond appropriately and 

quickly to circumstances that occur. It helps 

to reduce risks to everyone in your Head Start 

community. To determine whether your plan 

really works, it needs to be practiced with staff 

members, families and community partners. 

Practicing your plans helps you: 

•	 See what works 

•	 See what does not work 

•	 Build relationships with community partners 

and families 

•	 Ease fears and concerns about emergency 

situations 

•	 Make sure that accommodation has been 

made for children, staff members and 

families with other needs (i.e. those with 

limited English proficiency, blindness or 

visual disabilities, cognitive or emotional 

disabilities, deafness or hearing loss, 

permanent or temporary mobility/physical 

disabilities and health conditions such as 

asthma and severe allergies) 

•	 Build awareness of the importance of 

emergency preparedness 

•	 Identify topics or areas that staff members 

may need more emergency preparedness 

training 

•	 Determine how to best revise your plans 

•	 Discover things about your plan you might 

not have known if you had not practiced 

•	 Solve problems 

•	 Find out if you have the correct contact 

information for people and emergency 

agencies in your community 

•	 Determine if your program’s communication 

plans work 

•	 See how changes in children’s ages or 

developmental abilities may affect your plans 

and how to prepare the children in your care 

for what might happen in a disaster 

•	 Improve your emergency preparedness plans 

•	 Support the health and well being of children, 

families, and your staff members 

Regular emergency and evacuation drills/ 

exercises are an important safety practice in 

Head Start programs. Fire drills and other 

practice exercises help everyone become 

familiar with emergency procedures and 

activities. These activities help reduce anxiety 

and promote confidence in everyone’s ability 

to protect themselves and others during 

emergencies. 

Regularly scheduled practices help to ensure 

that everyone knows what to do and what to 

expect. It is important to remember that new 

staff members and newly enrolled children need 

to have the opportunity to take part in practice 

drills. 

For more information on practice see the 

Practice-Review-Revise Cycle in the appendices. 

Training 

As part of being prepared, all Head Start 

staff should receive training on emergency 

planning, response and recovery procedures. 

Your program’s planning team, HSAC, Policy 

Council, ACF Regional Management Specialist, 

and local community partners and consultants 

can serve as resources to help find qualified and 

experienced disaster preparedness and response 

educators and trainers. Your program’s mental 

health consultants, family service consultants, 

disabilities specialists and health managers are 

also valuable training resources. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

Contact your community partners, 

ACF Regional Emergency 

Management Specialist, and local 

health department for training 

opportunities in your area. 

Caring for our Children, 3rd Edition provides 

the following list of training topics to cover: 

•	 Why it is important for programs to prepare 

for disasters and to have an Emergency/ 

Disaster Plan 

•	 Different types of emergency and disaster 

situations and when and how they may occur 

•	 The special and unique needs of children, 

appropriate response to children’s physical 

and emotional needs during and after 

the disaster, including information on 

community pediatricians who are disaster 

experts 

•	 Providing first aid, medications, and 

accessing emergency health care in situations 

where there are not enough available 

resources 

•	 Contingency planning including the ability to 

be flexible, to improvise, and to adapt to everchanging situations 

•	 Developing personal and family preparedness 

plans 

•	 Supporting and communicating with families 

•	 Floor plan safety and layout 

•	 Location of emergency documents, supplies, 

medications, and equipment needed by 

children and staff members with special 

health care needs 

•	 Typical community, county, and state 

emergency procedures (including 

information on state disaster and pandemic 

influenza plans, emergency operation centers, 

and incident command structure) 

•	 Community resources for post-event support 

such as mental health consultants, safety 

consultants 

•	 Which individuals or agency representatives 

have the authority to close programs and 

when and why this might occur 

•	 Insurance and liability issues 

•	 New advances in technology, communication 

efforts, and disaster preparedness strategies 

customized to meet children’s needs6 

Communication 

It is essential that your community partners, 

families, and staff members know about your 

plan and have written copies of the plan. Your 

program will also need to consider how your 

plans may need to be communicated in 

different ways to staff members, families and 

partners. Keep in mind that some information 

is best not shared completely in order for 

protective measures to be effective, especially in 

the cases of community violence or terrorism. 

Work with your planning team, HSAC and 

Policy Council to determine the level of sharing 

that is appropriate. Review the document in the 

appendices, Emergency Preparedness: Head 

Start Systems and Services for additional ideas 

on how programs can work and communicate 

within the Head Start health management 

systems. 

It is important to consider how your families 

are used to receiving information about your 

program, as these might be the most likely ways 

to reach them. Your program might want to 

consider the following communication options: 

•	 Hold a launch meeting for your staff 

members or families when your planning is 

complete. Distribute copies of your plan and 

allow time for a question and answer session 

6Caring for Our Children, National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 

3rd Edition. Accessed at http://cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

•	 Compile a binder or online document 

that you distribute at trainings or upon 

employment and when new families enroll in 

your program 

•	 Create posters or papers that can be posted 

or handed out when your program provides 

services 

•	 Develop emergency signs and information 

designed in fonts and formats that 

individuals can use when they need them 

•	 Post the plan, or parts that are appropriate, 

on your intranet or program website 

•	 Highlight information in newsletters and 

other communications to remind staff 

members and families about emergency 

preparedness issues 

Know Your 

Communication 

Equipment Needs 

Consider whether you need the following: 

• Emergency back-up power for 

intercom system 

• Battery-powered megaphone/bullhorn 

to communicate with students and staff 

members 

• Battery- or hand-powered radio to 

receive information from emergency 

officials 

• Battery-powered walkie-talkies to 

communicate within groups and search 

and rescue teams 

• Signaling devices such as whistles7 

Keep in Mind
 

Has your program considered how 


cultural or family beliefs about how 


and why disasters occur may affect 


how you communicate with the 


families you serve?
 

•	 Contact your local health department, 

community partners or your ACF Regional 

Emergency Management Specialist to find 

out about emergency preparedness events 

and ways you might promote emergency 

preparedness 

•	 Visit the Office of Head Start Emergency 

Preparedness website and the ACF Early 

Childhood Disaster-Related Resources 

website for tip sheets and resources that you 

can use in trainings, educational sessions, 

and program events to help promote your 

emergency preparedness plans 

The procedures you have in place for reuniting 

children with families is one of the most 

important pieces of information that needs to 

be communicated. This includes making sure 

families know the following: 

•	 How they will obtain information about their 

children 

•	 Where the pick-up point will be located (have 

both an on-site and off-site pick-up location) 

•	 Policies and procedures for who is allowed to 

pick up children in the event of an emergency 

(and what type of identification they might 

need to show) 

•	 The importance of having current student 

release forms and contact information on file8 

7UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook. 2004 8UCLA Center for Public Health 

and Disasters. Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook. 2004 

8UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook. 2004 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

Effective emergency preparedness plans can 

alleviate fear, reduce disruptions, and save 

lives. Plans need to be practiced, reviewed and 

revised regularly. When Head Start program 

staff and community members are prepared 

and trained in their roles and responsibilities 

for emergency preparedness, they are ready to 

protect the health and well being of children, 

families and the communities they serve. 

Get Involved 

There are many ways that individuals can 

get involved in emergency preparedness 

planning before an emergency or other event 

occurs. Community leaders agree that the 

key for ensuring a safer homeland consists of 

volunteers, a trained and informed public and 

increased support from emergency response 

agencies during disasters.9 

The first step in getting involved is to ensure 

individuals are personally prepared for disasters. 

Tips on how to prepare individuals and their 

households can be found at Ready.Gov. 

Consider whom you might work with in 

your community to help support emergency 

preparedness planning: 

•	 Find out if your community has a Children 

& Youth Task Force in Disasters. A Children 

and Youth Task Force brings together 

community child- and youth-serving 

agencies, organizations, and professionals 

in a single forum for shared strategic 

coordination to meet the needs of children 

and youth.10 See the Children and Youth 

Task Force in Disasters Guidelines for 

Development at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/ 

sites/default/files/ohsepr/childrens_task_ 

force_development_web.pdf which includes 

a section on getting started or contact the 

ACF Office of Human Services Emergency 

Preparedness and Response at ohsepr@acf. 

hhs.gov 

•	 Find out if there are community-level 

Disaster Behavioral Health Coalitions in 

your community. Disaster Behavioral Health 

Coalitions are networks of community 

partners who collaborate to identify and 

address the behavioral health and coping 

needs of community members after disasters. 

See the guidance at http://www.phe.gov/ 

Preparedness/planning/abc/Documents/ 

dbh_coalition_guidance.pdf 

•	 Reach out to your local Community 

Emergency Response Team (CERT), local 

faith-based and community organizations 

that are active in planning emergency 

preparedness projects in your communities 

•	 Contact your local American Red Cross 

and register as a volunteer. A list of 

volunteer vacancies by area can be found 

at the American Red Cross Opportunities 

website http://www.redcross.org/support/ 

volunteer/opportunities#step1 

What Does Preparedness Look 

Like in Head Start Programs 

This chapter covered the emergency preparedness 

phase. You may still be wondering what this 

looks like in your program. The experience of 

the ABC Head Start program on the next page 

gives you an example of how preparedness 

might look like in a Head Start program. 

9Ready.gov. Get Involved. Accessed at http://www.ready.gov/get-involved 

10Administration for Children & Families Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response. Children and Youth 

Task Force in Disasters Guidelines for Development. Accessed at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ohsepr/childrens_ 

task_force_development_web.pdf 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 2: Preparedness 

ABC Head Start—Preparedness 

At ABC Head Start, staff members and They also identified that some materials and resources administration are working with community for their facilities are lacking. They are concerned about 

partners to determine emergency risks and participate the following: 

in mitigation activities. Juanita, a new program director, • Insufficient supplies for sheltering-in place 

was recently hired. She came from a program that • Unsafe playground equipment in heavy winds experienced a significant disaster and learned that 

preparedness plays an important role in reducing the • Incomplete or incorrect emergency contact numbers 

effects of an emergency. When she shares her story with • Lack of identified procedures and materials in place 

staff members, the HSAC, and the program’s governing to prevent the spread of disease 

body, it is decided that ABC’s own plans should be With the expertise of their local emergency 

reviewed and revised. The emergency planning team management agency and the ACF Regional Emergency 

convenes (Refer back to the Emergency Planning Management Specialist, the team developed a 

Members Box on page 12 for a list of the types of mitigation plan to address these concerns and begins 

members on the team). to implement the plan immediately. Within several 

At the first meeting, team members meet with their months, the program has taken steps to improve its 

community partners and emergency management disaster supplies kits and playground structures, and 

specialists to discuss their concerns and find out more has met with the local health department to identify 

about possible risks and mitigation strategies they the procedures that need to be in place to respond 

should have in place. when there are infectious disease outbreaks. They also 

developed a new plan to update emergency contact Next, team members review the program’s materials numbers more frequently. and facilities to make sure they have the resources 

necessary to cope with emergency situations, collect As the team became increasingly involved in emergency 

information about materials they have at hand, and planning for the future, the Head Start grantee joined 

determine structural changes that need to be made. a Children and Youth Task Force forming at the 

They also consider the training needs of staff members community level. 

and the communication systems in place to let staff The team also reviewed the Head Start systems and 

members, families and community partners know about services applicable to the potential emergencies and 

ABC’s emergency plans. each emergency preparedness plan. They identified 

At their next meeting, the team discusses the various several gaps in evacuation information, education and 

emergency situations that they are most concerned with training. The team holds another meeting to develop 

and their findings about current resources, training better solutions to the evacuation issues and developed 

needs and communication. Consulting with their ACF a new plan for education and training, knowing that 

Regional Emergency Management Specialists and other they will revisit it when they conduct their Practicecommunity partners, it is determined that the program Review-Revise cycle. (See 63 in the appendices for more 

faces a high probability of hurricanes, intruders, information on the Practice-Review-Revise cycle.) 

hazardous material incidences and influenza outbreaks. 

The next two chapters on response and recovery go into more detail about what happens during 

these phases of an emergency and how to use emergency plans. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 3: Response
 

The best time to plan for an emergency Evacuation and Shelter-In Place 

response is before it happens. In the 

preparedness phase, your program identified 

the kinds of emergencies that might occur and 

developed plans to support your program in 

responding to an emergency. 

Programs with clear and detailed plans for what 

to do during an emergency are more likely to 

offer consistent support to children, families, 

and staff members. When staff members 

know what they need to do and what they are 

responsible for doing, reactions become second 

nature and automatic. This happens through 

ongoing practice and training. Preparedness 

ensures that programs can respond to 

emergency situations quickly and with reduced 

stress, and can provide safety and shelter to 

children and families. 

What Is Response? 

Response includes the following actions: 

•	 Identifying that a crisis is occurring and the 

appropriate response 

•	 Activating the emergency response plan 

•	 Closing the building or canceling the 

program due to inclement weather prior to 

the start of the program day 

•	 Determining if evacuation, shelter-in place or 

other procedures need to be implemented 

•	 Maintaining communication with all relevant 

staff members, and first responders 

•	 Establishing what information needs to be 

communicated to staff members, students, 

families and the community 

•	 Monitoring emergency first aid needs11 

The first decision that programs must make 

in response to an emergency is whether staff 

members and children will stay where they 

are, shelter-in place, by moving to a designated 

safe room within your program, or leave 

(evacuate).12 This decision will determine how 

your program responds and implements the 

rest of its emergency plans. 

Shelter-in place may mean staying where you 

are until the emergency passes, or moving to 

a safe location or safe room in your program 

while the crisis is occurring. 

During the preparedness stage, you developed 

your program’s plans for shelter-in place and 

evacuation as well as for specific emergencies 

and disasters. The response stage is the time 

that these plans are implemented. See the 

appendices of this manual for additional 

information on shelter-in place and evacuation. 

How Is A Plan Implemented? 

Response involves knowing: 

•	 How an emergency is declared 

•	 Who is the incident commander or who 

initiates your program’s response 

•	 The procedures and who is responsible for 

each one 

•	 What supplies are needed 

•	 How decision trees/flow charts and/or 

communication systems are activated 

11http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/crisisplanning.html 

12The Family & Youth Services Bureau’s National Clearinghouse 

on Families & Youth. http://ncfy.acf.hhs.gov/publications/ 

ready-anything-disaster-planning-manual-runaway-andhomeless-youth-programs/response 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 3: Response 

All of this information should be detailed in 

your emergency preparedness plans. 

See the appendices for sample shelter-in place 

and evacuation checklists, things to keep in 

mind when sheltering-in place, and other 

resources. 

Evacuation v. 

Shelter-In Place 

When should someone evacuate 

versus shelter-in place? 

Local officials are the best source of 

information when determining whether 

to evacuate (leave the building or area) 

or shelter-in place (stay within the 

program). In the event of an emergency, 

listen to the radio, and follow the 

directions of the emergency officials. 

In general, sheltering-in place is 

appropriate when conditions require that 

you seek immediate protection in your 

program, home or other location when 

disaster strikes. You should take steps to 

prepare in advance, in case local officials 

direct you to evacuate. This includes 

knowing your emergency preparedness 

plans and having a disaster supplies kit 

that is portable and can be taken with you. 

Source: http://www.ready.gov/ 

faq-details/Evacuating-v-Shelter-inplace-1370032121004 

What is a safe room? 

Many programs or schools have safe 

rooms or procedures that they use when 

there is a threat of violence. 

A safe room is a space that is: 

• Protected, such as a large closet where 

babies, young children and adults can 

hide 

• Sound-protected so that if children 

talk or cry they cannot be heard easily 

outside of the room 

• Comfortable so that children’s stress is 

reduced 

• Entertaining so that children can play 

quietly while waiting out the danger 

• Safe procedures are systems that 

teachers and staff members use to: 

• Ensure threats cannot access the 

room or classroom by putting 

barriers in front of the doors 

• Prevent anyone from seeing inside 

the classroom or safe room by 

blocking windows 

• Ensure that children cannot be heard 

• Comfort children who might feel fear 

or experience stress 

By using a safe room or safe procedures, 

programs reduce the threat of violence 

and the impact of the event on children 

and staff members. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 3: Response 

What Does Response Look Like in a Head Start Program? 

Continuing the story of ABC Head Start, this section looks at the response phase in a Head Start 

program. 

ABC Head Start—Response 

Several months after ABC Head Start completes director initiates the early release protocol and informs its plan, the community is hit by a significant the Regional Program Specialist. Staff members are 

hurricane with strong winds and heavy rain. Staff told to activate the process for notifying parents and 

members receive a 24-hour warning about the caregivers. Arriving parents fill out early-release forms 

hurricane and make the necessary preparations, such and take their children home or to shelters. The local 

as securing outdoor equipment and activating its authorities have not activated an evacuation order, 

plans as outlined in the ABC Head Start Emergency so people are making decisions based on their own 

Preparedness Plan. individual plans. 

After hearing that the worst will not occur during By 4 p.m., all children are reunited with their families. 

program hours, they use their decision tree to follow The emergency protocol states that as soon as all 

the school district’s lead, and the program opens at its children have left the program, staff members must 

regular time. The rain begins early, but the winds do not secure the building against further damage. Once 

seem extreme. The program director cancels all outdoor this is complete, they leave. Fortunately, because staff 

activities. members were trained on procedures and the program 

practiced this scenario, all of the steps were completed By 2 p.m., the winds have increased and the rain is quickly and the program was able to close its doors causing flooding. Following the procedures as outlined before the worst of the storm hit. in ABC’s emergency preparedness plans, the program 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 4: Recovery
 

Head Start children, families, staff members 

and the community at large have specific needs 

in the days, weeks, and months (sometimes 

years) after an emergency has occurred. The 

recovery phase refers to the actions taken 

from the time the emergency occurs until the 

needs of staff members, children and families 

are met. It includes assisting affected families 

in resuming their daily activities and helping 

all affected cope with the aftermath of the 

emergency. 

After a disaster, individuals can feel overwhelmed 

and stressed about the losses they have 

experienced or anticipate. The actions that your 

program takes to provide relief can reduce this 

stress and enable individuals and programs 

to rebuild their lives with more ease. If you 

understand the issues surrounding recovery 

before a disaster occurs, getting your program 

back into position to provide vital Head Start 

services for children and families and their 

families will be faster and easier.13 

What Is Recovery? 

Recovery includes the following actions: 

•	 Restoring your program’s services and 

striving to return to learning as quickly as 

possible 

•	 Monitoring how staff members, children and 

families are doing 

•	 Identifying what interventions are available 

for children, families and staff members 

•	 Conducting debriefings with all involved 

including first responders and community 

partners 

•	 Implementing curricular activities that 

address the crisis 

•	 Capturing “lessons learned” and 

incorporating them into revisions and 

trainings14 

Emergency preparedness plans that include the 

following will help your program recover: 

•	 Restoring Head Start services as soon as 

possible, including identifying alternative 

locations for program 

•	 Restoring transportation systems 

•	 Rebuilding plans 

•	 Revising curriculum 

•	 Relocating or replacing staff members 

•	 Providing mental health support 

Recovery Support 

• Local health departments have 

information about resources to 

implement short- and long-term 

recovery plans 

• Community partners can target their 

specialized areas 

• ACF Regional Offices and Head Start 

Collaboration Offices offer support 

• The Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) at www.fema.gov 

provides guidance on disaster recovery 

assistance 

13UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook. 

14http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/crisisplanning.html School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 4: Recovery 

•	 Providing protocols for keeping regular 

contact with people who have relocated 

•	 Supporting families in finding temporary or 

permanent homes 

•	 Providing long term recovery support 

Assistance and Recovery 

Resources 

Recovery is usually a gradual process. Knowing 

if assistance is available and how to access 

it can make the recovery process faster and 

less stressful.15 The Federal Emergency 

Management Agency at www.fema.gov 

A disaster recover center is a readily 

accessible facility or mobile office that 

provides information about FEMA or 

other disaster assistance programs. 

http://www.fema.gov/disasterrecovery-centers 

provides up-to-date links and information 

on disaster survivor assistance, and recovery 

information including information on 

Community Emergency Response Teams 

(CERT) and disaster recovery centers. 

Disaster recovery center services may include: 

•	 Guidance regarding disaster recovery 

•	 Clarification of any written correspondence 

received 

•	 Housing assistance and rental resource 

information 

•	 Answers to questions, resolution to programs 

and referrals to agencies that may provide 

further assistance 

•	 Status of applications being processed by 

FEMA16 

Keep in Mind:
 

An important part of recovery is 


capturing the “lessons learned” so 


that you can incorporate them into 


your emergency plans and share your 


valuable insights with others.
 

The website disasterassistance.gov provides 

online disaster assistance, and disaster 

information including resources in and around 

your community such as the following: 

•	 Alternative fueling station locators 

•	 Community development resources 

•	 Government services locator including cities, 

counties and towns 

•	 Information on disaster recovery for those 

with access, functional or other needs 

The Office of Human Services Emergency 

Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR) 

provides leadership in human services 

preparedness to help individuals, families and 

communities recover rapidly and equitably 

from a disaster or public health emergency. 

Their website, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/ 

programs/ohsepr/about/what-we-do, provides 

a link to regional emergency preparedness and 

response contacts. 

Work with your local and ACF Regional 

Emergency Management Specialist and consult 

with your HSAC, community pediatricians who 

are disaster experts and program emergency 

planning team to develop a plan to become 

familiar with possible recovery procedures 

and assistance available in your area from city, 

county and federal agencies before a disaster 

occurs.17 

15http://www.fema.gov 

16http://www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers 

17UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook. 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 4: Recovery 

What Does Response Look Like in a Head Start Program? 

ABC Head Start—Recovery 

After the hurricane passes, the ABC Head Start experienced the loss of a home. Some businesses are planning team activates its hurricane recovery damaged, leaving several parents out of work. 

plans. Designated program staff members return to The education specialist mentions that children are the facilities to survey the damage. The family and acting out frightening scenarios with trees causing community specialist activates the phone tree to find damage and drawing pictures of fire, wind, and out how families are doing. This person also checks lightening. Some staff members have relocated and are the emergency answering service to see if any families further away from work. The planning team notes that have evacuated and where they can be reached. First long-term recovery plans cover supporting families responders consult with building administrators from with job loss, mental health support for children and various sites to alert them about structural and safety communicating with evacuated staff members. concerns. Mental health consultants work with staff to 

begin making home visits to those who need support. Following long-term recovery plans, staff members 

and community partners jump into action. The Once administrators determine the safety of buildings, human resources administrator begins calling the staff they find several buildings have no damage, but two members who have been evacuated to ask about their 

need clean up and some structural rebuilding. Following well being and to determine when they will return. their checklists, administrators contact building Three individuals return in a week, but four others are contractors to begin work immediately. In addition, unsure of their return date. The mental health specialist other sites are alerted about expanding services to is contacted to offer these individuals crisis support. prepare to take children from the programs whose In addition, the family and community specialist sites were damaged. The program director contacts works with the program’s community partners to the Regional Office to discuss if additional support provide assistance to the parents who are temporarily is needed from the Office of Head Start or support unemployed. They learn that three of the parents are from the Emergency Readiness and Response Force capable of serving as Head Start staff either temporarily (ERRF). It was decided federal OHS staff do not need to or permanently. Community partners are also able to deploy to the region and that the program is effectively find work for the other parents in clean up activities and responding to the natural disaster. contract work from storm damage. 

Within 24 hours of the hurricane, the family and ABC Head Start also implements actions related to community specialist reactivates the phone tree and lets mental health support. Immediately after the hurricane, families know the location of the temporary facilities the program offers refresher training to teachers on and gives them an estimate of how long they can expect the mental health curriculum that they implement to be at these new locations. The facilities specialist in times of recovery. The staff members have already contacts the program’s transportation service to advise had the full training and been given annual updates, them of location changes. but the emergency preparedness plan specifies a 

The next day, ABC Head Start is able to resume refresher training that addresses the specific needs of 

services to families in the temporary facilities. Using that emergency situation. In addition, mental health 

the checklist, staff members implement a curriculum to professionals, who support the program, work with 

support children in coping with the hurricane, as well as high-risk children and their families to help them 

providing opportunities for play and everyday activities cope with some of the anxiety and fear caused by the 

in their program. hurricane. 

When safety is ensured, ABC Head Start’s planning Over the next months, parents and staff go back to their 

team initiates the program’s long-term recovery jobs with appropriate mental health support. Children 

plans. Using a quick assessment from service area who showed signs of stress are gradually returning to 

administrators, the planning team decides whether the their typical play routines. People in the community 

plans are comprehensive or need revision. They find continue to discuss what happened and most people 

that although some families have lost power, no families seem to be on the road to recovery. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 5: Public Health
 

Emergencies
 

Preparing, Responding, and Recovery
 

Introduction 

When children first enter a Head Start 

program or other child care setting, they are 

more vulnerable to infectious diseases. It 

might be their first exposure to germs that 

cause common infections, or they may be too 

young to have developed immunity. Those at 

greatest risk are infants, children with special 

healthcare needs, and pregnant women. Young 

children, especially infants and toddlers, are 

likely to use their hands to wipe their noses or 

rub their eyes and then handle toys or touch 

other children. There is no way to completely 

prevent the spread of infectious diseases in 

Head Start or other early education and child 

care programs, although routine immunizations 

at the appropriate age are the best means of 

protecting children. 

Good hygiene, proper sanitation, and 

consistently following universal health 

precautions reduce health risks and health 

emergencies to children and adults by limiting 

the spread of infectious germs.18 These 

procedures are especially important during an 

outbreak of infection. 

Head Start Program Performance Standards 

(HSPPS) as well as standards from Caring for 

Our Children, 3rd Edition, provide standards to 

help child care providers prepare for, respond 

to, and prevent illness. 

These standards include the following HSPPS: 

•	 45 CFR 1304.22 b) Conditions of short-term 

exclusion and admittance 

•	 45 CFR 1304.22(e) Hygiene 

•	 45 CFR 1304.20(d) Ongoing care procedures 

for periodic observations and recordings, 

as appropriate, of individual children’s 

developmental progress, changes in physical 

appearance (e.g., signs of injury or illness) 

and emotional and behavioral patterns. In 

addition, these procedures must include 

observations from parents and staff 

Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edition including: 

•	 Standard 3.1.1 Daily Health Check 

•	 Standard 3.2.2.2 Hand Washing Procedure 

•	 Standard 3.2.3.2 Cough and Sneeze Etiquette 

•	 Standard 3.3 Cleaning, Sanitizing, and 

Disinfecting 

There are other standards specific to influenza 

prevention and related planning (see Influenza 

Control and Prevention section in the 

appendices). 

As mentioned earlier, The Office of Head Start’s 

Compliance with Care resource at http:// 

eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/ 

school-readiness/goals/crosswalk.html is a 

valuable reference and informational tool for 

both HSPPS and Caring for Our Children, 

3rd Edition standards related to public health 

emergencies. 

18Office of Head Start. Enterovirus Beware and Prepare. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 5: Public Health Emergencies 

Prepare 

Head Start staff members play an important 

role in the prevention of public health 

emergencies. Below are action steps that adults 

and other staff members can take to protect 

children and themselves. 

1. Promote Annual Influenza 

Immunization for Staff Members/ 

Caregivers and Document 

Compliance 

Each program should put in place a system to 

keep track of which employees and children 

have been immunized. Programs should also 

have a written protocol to handle situations 

where the appropriate documentation is 

not provided or individuals choose not to be 

immunized. 

Children in Head Start and Early Head Start 

programs must be immunized according 

to their State Medicaid Early and Periodic 

Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) 

schedule for immunizations, not according 

to each child’s doctor’s recommendations. 

In many instances, State Medicaid EPSDT 

immunization requirements are the same 

as the recommendations for childhood 

immunizations outlined by the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For 

Head Start programs located in a state where 

state Medicaid EPSDT requirements differ 

Get Immunized—Every Year! 

Staff members caring for children 

should receive vaccination for 

seasonal influenza every year. As 

professionals, we fail to lead by 

example if we urge others to be 

vaccinated for seasonal influenza 

but do not require it of ourselves. 

from the CDC recommendations, the program’s 

Health Services Advisory Committee may, in 

accordance with 1304.20(a)(1)(ii), require 

children to receive additional immunizations as 

recommended by the CDC. 

Each state determines the guidelines for 

exemptions from immunizations due to 

medical, religious or other reasons. If a child in 

Head Start has a medical exemption that meets 

all the requirements of the state immunization 

exemption guidelines, they do not need to be 

immunized according to the state immunization 

schedule. 

2. Coordinate Prevention Training 

Each Head Start program should provide 

refresher training for all staff members that 

includes emphasis on the importance and value 

of influenza vaccine, respiratory hygiene/cough 

etiquette, cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting 

surfaces, and hand hygiene, especially at the 

beginning of each influenza season. Staff 

members should be encouraged to practice 

these behaviors and educate children about 

cough/sneeze etiquette and proper hand 

washing. Family education should include 

information on the importance of seasonal 

flu vaccine as well as cough/sneeze etiquette, 

cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting surfaces, and 

proper hand washing. Necessary equipment 

and supplies (e.g., disposable tissues, soap, 

water, and hand sanitizers) should be made 

available. 

For additional details on influenza prevention 

training, see the following: 

•	 Preparing Child Care Programs for Pandemic 

Influenza, www.aap.org/en-us/advocacyand-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Childrenand-Disasters/Pages/Preparing-Child-CarePrograms-for-Pandemic-Influenza.aspx, 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 5: Public Health Emergencies 

•	 AAP Curriculum for Managing Infectious 

Diseases in Early Education and Child Care 

Programs, www.healthychildcare.org/PDF/ 

InfDiseases/AR_PanFlup.pdf. 

3. Prepare a Written Plan 

Ensure that your program has a written plan 

for seasonal and pandemic influenza and 

other public health emergencies to limit and 

contain influenza and other health hazards. 

See Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edtion 

Standard 9.2.4.4: Written Plan for Seasonal 

and Pandemic Influenza http://cfoc.nrckids. 

org/StandardView/9.2.4.4 for a sample 

written plan. 

Programs should consider intensifying 

and increasing the frequency of 

infection measures during flu season, 

especially hand sanitizing and hand 

washing. 

4. Take Steps to Prevent the Spread 

of Germs 

Take steps to learn about how infectious 

diseases spread in child care programs, how 

to prepare for inevitable illness, and how to 

incorporate practices related to hand hygiene 

and cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting toys 

and surfaces into day-to-day activities. Share 

this information with staff members. This will 

help create a culture where everyone plays a 

role in preventing the spread of germs. 

Access Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edtion 

Appendix K: Guide for Cleaning, Sanitizing, 

and Disinfecting at cfoc.nrckids.org/WebFiles/ 

AppendicesUpload/AppendixK.pdf for a 

complete listing of how to properly care for 

different surfaces. 

5. Communicate with Families 

Communicating with families about influenza 

and other infectious disease prevention and 

control strategies is critical. The following 

websites offer educational materials for parents 

and others: 

•	 National Foundation for Infectious Diseases 

(www.PreventChildhoodInfluenza.org) 

•	 Families Fighting Flu (www.FamiliesFighting 

Flu.org). 

•	 The Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) flu print-ready materials 

(www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/). 

6. Incorporate Health Education 

Topics into the Educational 

Curriculum 

Work with Head Start teachers and staff 

members on ways to teach children about 

healthy behaviors such as hand washing and 

cough/sneeze etiquette. 

7. Prepare for Flu Season in 

Advance 

August and September are good times to start 

taking steps to prepare for influenza season. 

Response and Recovery 

Infection Control 

Infection control practices are important and 

can limit the spread of infectious diseases 

and viruses like influenza. Infection control 

procedures include respiratory hygiene (such 

as cough/sneeze etiquette, hand hygiene) and 

surface cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. 

Infection control is always important, but even 

more so during influenza season. Children can 

learn how to cough or sneeze into an elbow or 

shoulder and to properly dispose of tissues and 

wash hands. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 5: Public Health Emergencies 

Steps to Help Your Program Prepare 

1. Examine and revise the program’s written plan for seasonal flu (cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/9.2.4.4) and other health emergencies. 

2. Schedule health emergency prevention education (cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/ 

7.3.3.3) for staff members. Review policies on hand washing (cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/3.2.2.2); cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting surfaces and toys 

cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.3; and excluding children cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/3.6.1.1 and caregivers cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.6.1.2 

who are sick. 

3. Display educational materials that encourage proper hand hygiene and cough/sneeze 

etiquette. 

4. Help families and communities understand the important roles they can play in reducing 

the spread of flu and other infectious diseases. 

a. Review the fact sheet. www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/childrendisasters_health_and_ 

safety_fact_sheet.pdf 

b. Distribute a customized letter https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/disasters_ 

parent_flu_letter.pdf to parents about influenza prevention and control practices in your 

program. 

5. Update family contact information and child records http://cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/9.4.2.2, so parents can be reached quickly if they need to pick up their 

sick child. 

6. Encourage all staff members, children, and parents to get the flu vaccine http://cfoc. 

nrckids.org/StandardView/7.3.3.1 as soon as it is available in their community. Everyone 

needs a flu vaccine each year, even when the virus strains in the vaccine do not change 

from the previous year, because immunity may wear off over time. 

7. Be strategic regarding children at highest risk such as those with conditions that increase 

the risk of complications from influenza [e.g., asthma, diabetes mellitus, hemodynamically 

significant cardiac disease, immunosuppression or neurologic and neurodevelopmental 

disorders]. 

8. Encourage parents to talk early with their child’s pediatrician or medical subspecialist 

about seasonal influenza vaccine as soon as it is available and when to consider treatment 

with an antiviral medicine if they develop influenza-like illness. 

9. Take the free 1-hour AAP/CDC online course “Influenza Prevention & Control: Strategies 

for Early Education & Child Care Providers http://www.healthychildcare.org/flu.html”. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 30 OF 93
 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 5: Public Health Emergencies 

Programs should consider intensifying and 

increasing the frequency of infection control 

measures during flu season, especially hand 

sanitizing or washing. All the components 

of infection control (frequent hand hygiene, 

teaching proper cough/sneeze techniques, 

and cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting toys 

and surfaces) are important. When they are 

all practiced together, there may be a more 

beneficial effect. 

Exclusion 

Exclusion polices and procedures play an 

important role in limiting the transmission 

of infectious diseases, especially during the 

influenza season. Staff members should refer 

to their program’s policies on exclusion to 

determine if a child should be temporarily 

secluded from classroom or program activities. 

This can be tricky with influenza. It looks 

like other respiratory illnesses, so it is hard to 

tell for sure who has influenza and who does 

not. Mildly ill children with no fever can have 

Remember
 

During public health emergencies, 


Head start grantees should follow 


guidance from local public health 


authorities and CDC.
 

If there is a major outbreak, 


ACF will usually provide 


hazard-specific messaging about 


the outbreak for Head Start.
 

influenza while children with high fever and 

cough can have common cold viruses. Influenza 

is more serious than other common cold 

viruses; that is why health professionals are 

worried about it and immunize against it. But 

there is a lot of overlap of symptoms between 

children with the common cold and those with 

influenza. 

Don’t worry about diagnosing who has 

influenza and who does not. See the table below 

for reasons to exclude a child with a respiratory 

illness. 

American Academy of Pediatrics 

Exclusion Criteria 

Exclude if the child: 

• Is unable to participate in normal 

activities 

• Requires too much care for staff to be 

able to care for the ill child and attend 

to the needs of others 

• Has a fever and respiratory symptoms 

(cough, sore throat, 

or runny nose) 

• Meets other exclusion criteria as 

described in the AAP manuals: Caring 

for Our Children, 3rd Edition and 

Managing Infectious Diseases in Child 

Care and Schools, 3rd Edition. 

Do not exclude the child solely for 

prevention of spread: 

• You can’t tell who has influenza vs. 

common cold viruses. 

• Children with influenza virus shed up 

to 7 days (child is still infectious). 

• Lots of children are infected and are 

infectious with influenza but don’t 

show symptoms. 

Source: Shope T, Bernstein H, Fisher M, Murray D. 

Influenza Prevention and Control: Strategies for Early 

Education and Child Care Providers. American Academy of 

Pediatrics PediaLink Course. Published August 27, 2014. 

www.pedialink.org. Accessed March 17, 2015. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 5: Public Health Emergencies 

During flu season it is important to exclude 

children from child care if they have fever and 

respiratory symptoms until the fever resolves 

without the use of fever-reducing medicines. 

This is because the influenza virus is present 

in nasal and cough secretions in much higher 

amounts in children with fever. 

Data shows that the flu virus can be “shed” or 

present in secretions for over a week in some 

young children, but the amount of virus shed 

goes down a lot after the fever resolves. It is not 

known how effective exclusion is in preventing 

the spread of influenza. However, it is known 

that the spread of influenza cannot completely 

be prevented. That is why immunization and 

infection control are so important. In general, 

the exclusion criteria for children who might 

have influenza are the same as any other 

infection. Exclusion based on the behavior of 

the child (ability to participate and amount of 

care required) is encouraged. 

When to stay home 

Any child with respiratory symptoms (cough, 

runny nose, or sore throat and fever) should be 

excluded. In general, a child can return when: 

•	 The fever has resolved without feverreducing medicine 

•	 The child is able to participate in activities 

•	 Staff can care for the child without 

compromising their ability to care for the 

other children in the group 

Discussing the importance of 

annual seasonal flu immunization 

with families 

There are several strategies programs can use to 

educate families about influenza and infectious 

disease prevention and control: 

•	 Let families know about the likelihood of 

infection in a given year 

•	 Clarify any program requirements that 

parents need to know about seasonal flu 

prevention and control 

•	 Inform families about the steps that the 

staff already take to reduce the risk of 

transmission of germs 

•	 Share and display materials from the 

CDC (www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/ 

print-family.htm), National Foundation 

for Infectious Diseases (www. 

PreventChildhoodInfluenza.org) 

and Families Fighting Flu (www. 

FamiliesFightingFlu.org) 

•	 Use multiple methods of communication 

to reinforce the importance your messages 

(Share information verbally, post and send 

written handouts home, and highlight 

web-based resources, including materials 

translated into various languages. You could 

even try social media or texting) 

Keep in mind that if you are not a certified 

health professional you can provide good 

information. Encourage families to discuss 

specific questions related to their child’s health 

and the effectiveness of the flu vaccine with 

their child’s pediatrician or family physician. 

Head Start programs have an 

important role and opportunity to 

improve immunization rates. The 

policies and practices used in a Head 

Start program can help limit the 

spread of infectious diseases and 

viruses like influenza. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 32 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency
 

Preparedness for Families
 

What resources do programs need to support families in 


emergency preparedness and recovery?
 

Preparedness 

It is important that your program has 

procedures in place for keeping parents 

informed about your program’s emergency 

preparedness plans. 

Parents and caregivers should be provided with 

the following information about your program’s 

emergency plans. 

•	 How parents and caregivers will be notified 

about program closings 

•	 How to contact the school in an emergency 

•	 Procedures for reuniting after an emergency 

•	 Existing safety measures 

•	 How and when your program practices 

disaster drills 

•	 How access, functional, and other needs are 

accommodated 

•	 Procedures for disaster specific events (note, 

that for some events such as intruders, 

your planning team should determine what 

information is appropriate to safely disclose) 

•	 Assurance that staff is trained to handle 

emergencies and protect their child 

•	 Your work with emergency management 

officials to ensure that the community knows 

about the program’s emergency plans and 

needs 

Tip Sheets & Letters
 

See the NCH’s Responding to Crises 


and Tragic Events at http://eclkc.ohs.
 

acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/
 

ep/tip-sheets.html tip sheets and 


sample letters for communicating with 


parents after an emergency.
 

One of the most important responsibilities after 

an emergency is reuniting parents and children. 

The best way to plan for this is to make sure 

your program’s plans include the following: 

•	 Procedures for making sure phone numbers 

for children’s families (home and work) are 

current and where this information is located 

•	 Policies and procedures for notifying families 

that an event has occurred 

•	 Policies and procedures for reuniting children 

with parents and caregivers 

•	 Location and maps (if necessary) of primary 

and backup pick-up points 

•	 Copies of information about to whom 

each child can be released and where this 

information is kept 

•	 Procedures for using attendance forms20 

See the appendices for sample reunification 

procedures and emergency contact forms. 

• Support services available to children and 

families 

20UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 33 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

Comprehensive communication systems 

include the following: 

•	 A designated person (plus an alternate) 

as the point of contact for communication 

procedures 

Checklist for Keeping 

Families Informed of 

Emergency Planning 

• Hold a meeting for families to explain 

the emergency preparedness plans at 

the start of the year 

• Plan for other meetings throughout 

the year and determine procedures 

for making sure all new families know 

about emergency procedures 

• Print guidelines and reminder 

notices in newsletters and other 

communication venues 

• Remind parents of the school’s shelterin place and evacuation plans 

• Include emergency preparedness 

information in your program handbook 

• Establish regular reminders 

for updated emergency contact 

information 

• After a disaster, families may be 

relocated to long-distance or temporary 

housing. Your emergency plans should 

consider how to maintain contact with 

families (This may involve using email, 

phone calls or in-person visits) 

• Encourage and provide training on 

emergency preparedness for families21 

•	 The use of phone trees activated by 

a designated person for spreading 

responsibility for communication of 

information 

•	 Procedures for using the media (local 

television, radio, print and internet) 

•	 Procedures for maintaining a record of the 

communications regarding the status of 

children, families and staff during all phases 

of an emergency 

•	 Procedures for status updates on children, 

families and staff and implementing ways to 

best communicate with all involved 

•	 Procedures for communicating Head Start 

program information and service information 

including any changes in program hours, 

transportation, and location 

•	 Procedures for families to communicate with 

the program (answering service, email, voice 

mail) 

Helping Families Develop Their 

Own Emergency Preparedness 

Plans22 

Emergencies can be frightening when they 

occur. Just thinking about the possibility of an 

emergency can even cause anxiety. When you 

share information on why it is important to be 

prepared for emergencies and disasters, you 

help ease anxiety and help families respond and 

recover should an emergency or disaster occur. 

Just as with programs, there are four key steps 

or actions that families should follow to develop 

their own emergency preparedness plans. 

21UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook 

22This section is adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ document, “Four Steps to Prepare Your Family for Disasters”. 

http://www2.aap.org/family/frk/FOurstepsFRK.pdf 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 34 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

These four steps are the following: 

•	 Be Informed 

What do families need to learn about 

protective measures to take before, during 

and after an emergency? 

•	 Make A Plan 

What do families need to do to prepare, plan 

and stay informed for emergencies? 

•	 Build a Kit 

What disaster supplies do families need to 

have in the event of an emergency? 

•	 Get Involved 

Who can families work with in their 

community? 

Working with families to develop their own 

emergency plans is an important step to make 

sure that families are ready, informed and know 

what to do should an emergency happen. 

The Office of Head Start’s Responding to Crises 

and Tragic Event, supplement to this manual 

includes sample letters that can be used to 

provide families with additional information on 

emergency preparedness and response. This 

resource is available on the Office of Head Start 

Emergency Preparedness website at http:// 

eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/ 

health/ep. 

Be Informed 

The first step to developing a family emergency 

preparedness plan is to be informed. 

You can help families by doing the following: 

•	 Sharing information with your families on 

the types of disasters that are likely to happen 

and how to prepare for each one 

•	 Making sure your families know what the 

community warning signals in your area 

sound like, what they mean, and what to do if 

they are heard 

Reach out to your community partners 

and members of your Health Services 

Advisory Committee to see what 

resources they have to help families 

plan for emergencies. 

Emergency 

Preparedness Online 

Resources for Families 

There are a number of online resources 

specifically designed for families and 

children. These include: 

Administration for Children and Families 

Early Childhood Disaster-Related 

Resources for Children and Families 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ 

ohsepr/children-and-families 

American Red Cross Prepare Your Home 

and Family http://www.redcross.org/ 

prepare/location/home-family 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention Emergency Preparedness 

and You http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ 

preparedness/plan/ 

Ready.gov www.ready.gov/kids and 

www.ready.gov/kids/parents 

•	 Checking with your local and state 

emergency management office, health 

department, and American Red Cross for 

more information specific to your community 

that families should know 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 35 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

Make a Plan 

The second step is to make a plan. 

Family Disaster Plan 

Head Start programs can help families make a 

family disaster plan. As a starting point think 

about how your program can engage families in 

the following: 

•	 Talking about the dangers of disasters and 

emergencies with family members 

•	 Making a list of emergency phone numbers 

and information and keep this in a place 

(perhaps in a family disaster plan document) 

you can access during an emergency 

•	 Deciding how important medical records will 

be stored and/or filling out an Emergency 

Information Form (EIF) for each child (this 

is especially important for children with 

special health care needs or children who 

take any kind of medicine for any reason) 

•	 Planning what to do if asked to evacuate your 

house or town 

•	 Making a plan for how to take care of pets 

•	 Identifying several routes that can be used to 

leave the area 

•	 Making a list of what needs to be done, when 

informed that a disaster may occur (i.e. 

charge cell phones, find the family disaster 

supplies kit, fill up the car, generator, gas 

tanks etc.) 

•	 Creating a plan in case family members 

are not together or are separated during a 

disaster 

•	 Deciding on a place to meet outside of the 

neighborhood in case going home is not an 

option 

Make sure families know 

your program’s emergency 

and disaster plans. 

•	 Choosing someone out of town to be a 

family contact. Sometimes the only way to 

communicate is with someone outside of 

the disaster area who can tell others what 

has happened. Each family member and 

any caregivers should know this address 

and the phone number for the outside 

meeting place and out-of-town contact 

•	 Making a plan for how to check-in with 

each other. Options may include: texting, 

using social media or checking in to a web 

application like Safe and Well (for young 

child who do not have cell phone or use 

the internet, talk about how they can find 

a trusted adult to help them like a police 

officer or fire fighter) 

•	 Talking about what will happen if children 

are in a Head Start program, child care or 

other location apart from their families 

•	 Talking to preschool aged children so they 

know what to expect during a disaster at 

home or away from home 

Evacuation Plans 

Knowing what to do if evacuation is needed 

is another important part of planning. As a 

starting point, being ready for an evacuation 

and having a plan includes the following: 

•	 Understanding the importance of leaving 

right away, if told to do so 

•	 Having a source for emergency information 

such as a battery-powered radio, or social 

media 

•	 Knowing when and how to shut off water, 

gas, and electricity 

•	 Keeping a wrench and flashlight near gas and 

water shut off valves 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 36 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

If a big storm is coming... 

•	 Fill your car with gas 

•	 Fill plastic bags with water and 

place them in the freezer 

•	 Get extra cash 

•	 Fill prescriptions 

Source: Ready.gov 

http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1e04d512b273e2133cb

865833cc0e32d/FEMA_checklist_parent_508_071513.pdf

•	 Leaving a message or sign in your window 

such as Help to let other know your family 

needs help, or OK to let others know your 

family is ok. (See the Administration for 

Children & Families’ resource, Taking Care 

of Our Families: Preparing for Emergencies 

& Disasters for sample signs at https:// 

www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/ 

Family%20Preparedness%20Booklet%20 

OHSEPR(1).pdf) 

•	 Calling your family contact 

•	 Taking your family disaster supplies kit 

•	 Taking your pets 

•	 Locking you home 

•	 Using transportation routes suggested by 

officials 

Once plans have been made they need to be 

practiced and maintained.
 

Families can practice and maintain their plans 


by doing the following:
 

•	 Every month test smoke alarms
 

•	 Every 6 months or as needed/appropriate, go 

over the family disaster plan, do escape drills, 

talk to children about disaster and emergency 

plans, and replace stored food and water 

•	 Make sure emergency phone numbers and 

contact information are current 

What to Tell and 

Teach Children 

Families can talk to children about 

disasters without alarming them. 

As a starting point, here are some things 

families can tell preschool children: 

• A disaster or emergency is something 

that can hurt people or cause damage 

(for example, sometimes it rains too 

much, things catch on fire, or it gets too 

windy) 

• Adults make plans to keep people and 

pets safe in emergencies and disasters 

• Many people (teachers, doctors, nurses, 

fire fighters, police officers) help during 

disasters or emergencies 

Here are some things families can teach 

children ages 3 and older: 

• Adults and family members will help 

them during a disaster or emergency 

• Where they will go in their house and 

what they might do if there is a disaster 

or emergency 

• What emergency sirens sound like and 

what they mean 

• Why we practice fire and other safety 

drills 

• How to call for help 

• When to call an emergency number 

•	 Every year replace the batteries in smoke 

alarms (unless alarms use long-life batteries, 

if so, note how long they typically last) 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

Build A Kit 

The third step is to help families build a kit. 

Being prepared for an emergency is not just 

about staying safe.23 It is also making sure 

that there are supplies to help families stay 

comfortable, clean, fed and healthy. 

Helping families build a kit includes, but is not 

limited to the following: 

•	 Talking about the importance of having a kit 

before an emergency because once a disaster 

hits, there will not be time to shop or search 

for supplies 

•	 Making sure families know that they may 

need to survive on their own after an 

emergency as it may take some time for relief 

to come 

•	 Having enough of your own food, water and 

other supplies to last at least 72 hours 

•	 Making sure that families leave space open in 

their kits for current medications 

•	 Letting families know the importance of 

labeling medications clearly and putting them 

in their kit when a disaster is near or strikes 

•	 Stressing the importance of always having 

one refill left of prescriptions for chronic 

medications and refilling them before they 

are close to running out 

Get Involved 

The fourth step is to get involved. 


As a starting point here are some ways that you 


can help families get involved and engaged in 


emergency and disaster preparedness:
 

•	 Encourage families to meet their neighbors 

and get to know families at school 

•	 Talk about ways that families can work 

together during and after a disaster 

•	 Find out which neighbors and families might 

need extra help 

•	 Provide opportunities for parents and 

community partners to get to know each 

other and develop relationships through 

program and community events 

•	 Talk about or find out who has special skills 

(eg, medical, technical, multi-lingual) 

•	 Promote ways to volunteer to support 

disaster efforts in your community 

•	 Share information on getting trained to 

volunteer with community response teams 

•	 Find ways to connect families with local 

faith-based and community organizations 

and other community planning efforts 

•	 Find out if families are interested in starting a 

preparedness project or activity and support 

their efforts by helping them start up the 

project or activity (It can be something 

simple like collecting used clothing and 

supplies for emergencies) 

Building on the strengths, needs and interests 

of children and families and getting families 

involved in programs that support emergency 

preparedness will help ensure that all Head 

Start families are prepared for emergencies. 

Response and Recovery 

Disasters and emergencies can change 

lives. However, there are resources you can 

provide to help meet the immediate needs of 

families and to help families rebuild over time. 

Your program’s family service manager and 

mental health consultant, as well community 

family service agencies, housing and legal aid 

organizations, medical home and community 

health providers, and food banks are valuable 

resources for information on identifying family 

support needs that should be considered in your 

emergency planning. 

23Ready.gov. Be Prepared, Build a Kit. Accessed at http://www.ready.gov/kids/build-a-kit 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

Family Disaster Supplies Kit Contents 

There are many family disaster supplies kit lists available (See the resources at the end of this 

section). Suggested items to include in a family disaster supplies kit include: 

• Map of the area and important phone numbers 

• Special items for infants and elderly family members (diapers, formula, baby food, wipes) 

• One gallon of water per person per day (enough for 3 days) 

• Three day supple of ready-to-eat canned or packaged food 

• Manual can opener 

• Paper cups, plates, and plastic eating utensils 

• Blankets or sleeping bags 

• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, hand sanitizer) 

• Cell phone charger 

• A change of clothing, rain gear, and sturdy shoes for each family member 

• Signal flares 

The following supplies should be put in an easy-to-carry waterproof container: 

• Crank- or battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries 

• First aid kit and manual 

• A credit card and cash 

• Personal identification and current family identification photos 

• An extra set of car keys 

• An extra pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses for each family member who needs them 

• Matches in a waterproof container 

• Medication (which should be labeled and kept separate from other supplies) 

Important documents: 

Make two copies and keep the originals of the following in a safe-deposit box or waterproof 

container. Consider storing these on a flash drive or online. Keep one copy with you and give 

the second one to your out-of-town emergency contact: 

• Wills, insurance policies, contracts, deeds 

• Passports, social security cards, immunization records, medical information or completed 

Emergency Information Forms 

• Bank account and credit card numbers 

• List of valuable household goods 

• Family records and photos (e.g. birth and marriage certificates) 

• List of computer passwords 

• Documentation to assist in identifying your children if you are separated (adoption records, 

birth certificates) 

• Make sure you have current photos of children and family members to take with you in 

printed or electronic format 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

Family support needs after a disaster may 

include: 

•	 Employment 

•	 Food/nutrition 

•	 Financial assistance 

•	 Homelessness and other housing/shelter 

issues 

•	 Insurance 

•	 Legal services 

•	 Mental health 

•	 Medical and disability/special needs 

•	 Education 

• Childcare 

If your planning team has representatives from 

or collaborative relationships with local social 

service agencies you may already have many 

of the resources you need to support families 

in rebuilding their lives. Together, you can 

determine how each of your service areas can 

work together to meet the needs of families. 

For example, collaborations with employment 

agencies can assist adults in finding work, 

collaborations with community social service 

agencies can ensure that families have access to 

interim services (e.g., housing, food, and mental 

health services). By having partners participate 

in the emergency preparedness planning, your 

program can create a comprehensive system for 

recovery. 

See Chapter 7 for more information on 

supporting the mental health and emotional 

needs of families. 

Disaster Assistance 

for Families 

Information can be found on the 

following website: 

• FEMA (www.fema.gov) 

• Red Cross (redcross.org) 

• ACF Office of Human Services 

Emergency Preparedness & Response 

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ 

ohsepr) 

• www.disasterassistance.gov 

• AAP Children & Disasters (http:// 

www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-andpolicy/aap-health-initiatives/Childrenand-Disasters/Pages/default.aspx) 

Resources to Support Families 

Family Emergency Supply Kit 

Resources 

American Academy of Pediatrics Family 

Readiness Kit 

www.aap.org/family/frk/frkit.htm 

American Red Cross Get A Survival Kit 

http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/ 

home-family/get-kit 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

Ready.gov Family Emergency Kit 

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/ 

documents/34326# 

Healthychildren.org Family Disaster 

Supplies Kit 

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ 

safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/FamilyDisaster-Supplies-List.aspx 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 6: Emergency Preparedness for Families 

Sesame Workshop Let’s Get Ready! 

Planning Together for Emergencies 

http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/ 

topicsandactivities/toolkits/ready# 

Emergency Information Forms 

American Academy of Pediatrics 

Emergency Information Form 

http://www2.aap.org/advocacy/blankform.pdf 

American College of Emergency 

Physicians Emergency Information Form 

http://www.acep.org/Clinical---PracticeManagement/Emergency-Information-Formfor-Children-With-Special-Health-Care-Needs/ 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention Personal Medical Information 

Form 

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/kiwy.asp 

Sesame Workshop Let’s Make and Share 

Our Plan 

http://www.sesamestreet.org/cms_services/se 

rvices?action=download&uid=9c70c181-40b9­

45ea-aec8-28f57f9e5f49 

Other Emergency Preparedness 

Resources for Families 

Administration for Children & Families 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohsepr/ 

children-and-families 

American Academy of Pediatrics Children 

and Disasters website 

http://www.aap.org/disasters/index.cfm 

American Red Cross Prepare Your Home 

and Family 

http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/ 

home-family 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention Caring for Children in a 

Disaster 

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/kiwy.asp 

Healthychildren.org 

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ 

safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/FamilyDisaster-Supplies-List.aspx 

Office of Head Start National Center on 

Health 

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/ 

health/ep 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 7: Mental Health and
 

Emotional Needs
 

When emergencies or disasters like hurricanes 

or floods occur people often seek resources or 

support to help them respond and cope. Even 

those who are not directly affected by a disaster 

may need support to ease anxiety or other 

feelings. 

Mental health support is one of Head Start’s top 

priorities when an emergency or crisis occurs. 

Children and adults who have experienced 

stress and/or loss may have difficulty coping. 

By offering a safe place and resources, Head 

Start programs support families who have 

feelings such as fear, anger, and grief and help 

them resume their lives in a healthy way. 

If your program has been directly affected, 

refer to your emergency plans to follow the 

procedures your program has in place. Head 

Start grantees should also reach out to the 

behavioral health disaster recovery mission 

in their community, including the SAMHSA 

Crisis Counseling Program (see http://www. 

samhsa.gov/dtac/ccp or call the SAMHSA 

Disaster Technical Assistance Center at 

(800) 308-3515). In addition, contact your 

Children & Youth Task Force and/or Disaster 

Behavioral Health Coalition if one is in your 

community (email ohsepr@acf.hhs.gov for 

more information). 

Programs should work with their mental health 

consultant to identify support services to assist 

families. If your program has not worked with 

a mental health consultant this may be good 

opportunity to do so. Programs may also want 

to find a physician or pediatrician who is a 

disaster expert who can help address children’s 

needs during or after a crisis. 

Keep in Mind
 

An emergency or disaster may 


trigger loss or mourning from an 


unrelated event in the past such 


as the death of family member.
 

The emotional toll that a disaster brings 

can sometimes be even more devastating 

than the financial strains of damage. Even 

individuals who experience a disaster “second 

hand” through exposure to extensive media 

coverage can be affected.24 Families should 

be encouraged to monitor media exposure 

and protect children from media interviews 

following a disaster. 

Coping with Disaster 

Keep in mind the following: 

• Everyone who sees or experiences a 

disaster is affected by it in some way. 

• It is normal to feel anxious about your 

own safety and that of your family and 

close friends 

• Profound sadness, grief, and anger are 

normal reactions to an abnormal event 

• Everyone has different needs and 

different ways of coping 

• Focusing on your strengths and 

abilities can help 

• Acknowledging your feelings can help 

you recover 

24http://www.fema.gov/coping-disaster#4 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 7: Mental Health and Emotional Needs 

After a disaster or crisis, children need to 

feel safe first. Children may also benefit from 

adults who can help them learn how to cope 

effectively and understand what is happening.25 

Children’s reactions to new situations vary 

greatly, depending on their developmental 

level, temperament, experience and skills.26 

Children ages 3 and older may also want more 

information about what has or is happening. 

The Disaster Distress Helpline offers 


24/7 support:
 

(800) 985-5990
 

Find out more information 


about the helpline at 


http://disasterdistress.samhsa.gov
 

Children, no matter what their age, do not 

always have the words to tell you how they are 

feeling. They may not know how to talk about 

what has happened. Their behavior can be a 

better sign. Sudden changes in behavior can 

mean they have been exposed to trauma or a 

crisis. 

What you might see:27 

•	 Problems sleeping including not wanting to 

sleep alone, having a hard time at naptime or 

bedtime, not wanting to sleep or repeatedly 

waking up, nightmares 

•	 Separation anxiety—not wanting to be away 

from you, not wanting to go to school, crying 

or complaining when their parent leaves 

•	 Not eating 

•	 Not being able to do things they used to do 

•	 Being scared by new things 

•	 More cranky behaviors 

•	 Being more stubborn than usual 

•	 Wanting things only done his/her way 

•	 Social regression 

•	 Increased complaints (headaches, 

stomachaches) 

•	 Intense preoccupation with the details of the 

event 

•	 Wanting to always talk about what happened 

•	 Fear that the event might happen again 

•	 Not paying attention, being restless 

•	 Moody, depressed, or irritable 

•	 Playing in violent ways 

•	 Hitting you or others 

•	 More tantrums 

•	 Clinginess with teachers, caregivers, or others 

•	 Regression, or going back to an earlier stage 

of development 

•	 Bedwetting or other toileting issues 

•	 Baby talk 

•	 Wanting to be carried or rocked 

•	 Recreating the event, without prompting by 

staff or mental health consultant 

•	 Playing out or drawing the event 

•	 Repeatedly talking about it 

•	 Overreacting to minor bumps or falls 

25http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Children-and-Disasters/Pages/Talking-to-ChildrenAbout-Disasters.aspx 

26AAP: The Youngest Victims: Disaster Preparedness to Meet Children’s Needs 

27Material adapted from: 

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network Schools Committee. (October 2008). Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators. Los Angeles, 

CA & Durham, NC: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress 

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Parent Tips for Helping Infants and Toddlers after Disasters. Available at http://www. 

nctsn.org/sites/default/files/pfa/english/appendix_e4_tips_for_parents_with_infants_and_toddlers.pdf. 

• HealthyChildren.org. What to tell your children about disasters. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/athome/Pages/Getting-Your-Family-Prepared-for-a-Disaster.aspx
 

Federal Emergency Response Agency. Helping Children Cope with Disaster http://www.fema.gov/news-release/2005/10/14/
 

helping-children-cope-disaster
 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 7: Mental Health and Emotional Needs 

•	 Changes in behavior (not wanting to eat, 

angry outbursts, decreased attention, 

withdrawal, wetting the bed, having bad 

dreams) 

•	 Over- or under-reacting to physical contact, 

sudden movements, or loud sounds such as 

sirens and slamming doors 

•	 Anxiety and worry 

•	 New fears and/or fears about safety 

•	 Asking questions and making statements 

about the event 

What you might see (in addition 

to those listed above) in older 

siblings: 

•	 Strong angry or sad feelings 

•	 Acting out in school 

•	 Poor grades 

•	 Fighting with friends 

•	 Wanting to be alone 

•	 Behaving as if he or she has no feelings 

•	 Disobeying, talking back, or getting into fights 

•	 Drinking or using drugs, hanging out in 

groups and getting into trouble 

What you might see in adults: 

Adults may also benefit from the help and 

support to ease disaster-related stress and 

anxiety. Parents and adults may need assistance 

in building and using social support systems of 

family, friends, Head Start services and other 

community supports. 

When adults experience the following common 

reactions to traumatic experience they might 

benefit from counseling or stress management 

assistance:28 

•	 Limited attention span 

•	 Poor work performance 

•	 Headaches or stomach problems 

•	 Tunnel vision or muffled hearing 

•	 Confusion 

•	 Trouble concentrating 

•	 Not wanting to leave home or not wanting to 

go home 

•	 Depression or sadness 

•	 Feelings of hopelessness 

•	 Mood-swings and bouts of crying 

•	 Overwhelming guilt or self-doubt 

•	 Fear of crowds, strangers, or being alone 

The following are ways to help ease disaster- or 

crisis-related stress: 

•	 Talk about your feelings 

•	 Get help from professional counselors who 

deal with post-disaster stress 

•	 Do not hold yourself responsible for the 

disaster or tragic event 

•	 Promote your own physical and emotional 

healing by healthy eating, rest, exercise, 

relaxation, and meditation and self-reflection 

•	 Keep a normal daily routine 

•	 Limit demanding responsibilities 

•	 Spend time with family and friends 

•	 Take part in memorials (It is also ok not to 

attend memorials) 

•	 Use community supports and networks of 

family, friends, and religious institutions 

Federal, state, tribal, and local governments 

of the affected area may also provide crisis 

counseling assistance. 

Tip sheets and sample letters are provided in 

the NCH’s Responding to Crisis and Tragic •	 Difficulty communicating thoughts Events Supplemental Resource at http://eclkc. •	 Difficulty sleeping ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/ep •	 Difficulty keeping balance in their lives along with additional information to share with •	 Low threshold of frustration staff and the families. 

•	 Increased use of drugs/alcohol 

28This information was adapted from FEMA, Recovering from Disaster (http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/recovering_from_ 

disaster.pdf). School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 8: Accommodating
 

Access, Functional
 

and Other Needs
 

During emergencies, implementing wellrehearsed plans that accommodate the access, 

functional and other needs of children, families 

and staff is critical to protecting safety. Mobility, 

medication, and mental health needs are likely 

concerns for everyone during an emergency. 

Addressing these needs for individuals with 

access, functional or other needs can be more 

complex. 

For children, staff and families with physical 

or mobility needs, difficulties navigating the 

environment during an emergency can increase 

their vulnerability. It can create additional stress 

for the person with access, functional or other 

needs as well as stress for those in caregiver 

roles. 

Children and adults with cognitive or social 

and emotional needs may need additional 

support in preparing for and recovering from 

a disaster. Children and staff members may 

also have special health care needs that may 

require medications to function. Medications 

may need refrigeration when the power is out 

or a medical device may need power to operate. 

Additionally, some children and staff may not 

be able to practice drills, such as stop, drop and 

roll, because of physical disabilities that may be 

chronic or acute in nature. Working with you 

planning team and others to determine the best 

ways to met the needs of the children, families 

and staff in your program is an important part 

of emergency preparedness. 

Supporting Children and Adults 

with Access, Functional and 

Other Needs 

Your program can support children and adults 

with access, functional and other needs in a 

number of ways including: 

•	 Identifying and modifying evacuation routes 

to accommodate individuals with limited 

mobility (i.e. physical, visual, or hearing 

impairments) 

•	 Developing systems to store or transport 

medication, equipment, and mobility devices 

in case children and adults are temporarily 

sheltered-in place or are evacuated 

•	 Identifying at least two people who can assist 

in operating medical devices and equipment 

•	 Determining if there are alternative sources 

for electric devices in case the power is out 

•	 Working with mental health consultants and 

disability specialists to accommodate the 

needs in your program 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 8: Accommodating Access, Functional and Other Needs 

•	 Collaborating with community partners 

and social services agencies to identify and 

develop contingency plans for special needs 

and services. 

•	 Contacting local emergency management 

agencies to find out about assistance 

programs (Many communities ask people 

with access, functional, health care or other 

needs to register with their local fire, police 

or local emergency management office so 

that needed help can be provided in an 

emergency) 

•	 Ensuring that alarms and evacuation paths 

have auditory, visual and tactile cues and 

that emergency signs and information are 

in print, Braille, and fonts to accommodate 

visual impairment 

Disaster Preparedness 

Resources for People with 

Access, Functional or Other 

Needs 

There are a number of resources available to 

assist programs in planning for the functional, 

access and other needs of the children, families 

and staff in their Head Start programs. 

These resources include the following: 

FEMA Office of Disability Integration 

& Coordination 

https://www.fema.gov/office-disabilityintegration-coordination 

Provides information and resources about 

emergency preparedness, response and 

recovery that is inclusive of people with 

disabilities and others with access and 

functional needs. 

www.disasterassistance.gov: 

Provides downloadable emergency 

preparedness guides for people with disabilities 

including, deaf, hard of hearing, blindness, sight 

impaired or those who have functional and 

other needs. The website also includes links to 

create accommodation cards. Materials on this 

website may be adaptable for your program’s 

emergency preparedness plans. 

National Organization on Disability: 

http://nod.org/disability_resources/ 

emergency_preparedness_for_persons_with_ 

disabilities/): 

Provides disabilities resources and materials 

including disaster readiness tips for people with 

sensory, mobility, developmental or cognitive 

disabilities. 

Red Cross 

www.redcross.org/prepare/location/homefamily/disabilities: 

Provides information and resources for people 

with disabilities including download brochures. 

See the appendices for a checklist for children 

and adults with access, functional and other 

needs. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 9: What have
 

Head Start Programs Learned


from Disasters?
 

Over the years emergencies and disasters have 

taught us what Head Start programs can do 

during times of disaster to help families and 

communities prepare and recover. Head Start 

programs have helped families cope during 

the aftermath of, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, 

the Gulf Coast hurricanes in 2005, terrorist 

attacks of 2001, and numerous other natural or 

man-made disasters. As an active participant 

in the emergency preparedness process, Head 

Start programs have been able to offer relief to 

thousands of families during tough times. 

In this chapter you will read about lessons 

learned from these emergencies. These lessons 

illustrate why your program’s involvement is so 

important and how you can plan for the future, 

by providing a safe haven for children, families, 

and staff and community members. 

Hurricane Sandy 2012 

Hurricanes happen every year in United 

States. However, in 2012 the Northeastern 

United States experienced the largest Atlantic 

hurricane on record, Hurricane Sandy (also 

known as “Superstorm Sandy”). Damage in the 

U.S. caused by Hurricane Sandy was estimated 

to be more than $65 billion dollars. Hurricane 

Sandy impacted 24 states including the entire 

eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine and 

west from Michigan to Wisconsin with a death 

toll of 117 people. The most severe damage 

occurred in New York and New Jersey where 

millions of households and businesses lost 

power and hundreds of thousands of homes 

and business were damaged or destroyed. 

Residents in the most impacted areas lost 

jobs and homes, access to child care facilities, 

schools and support networks. 

More than 100 Head Start and Early Head Start 

centers experienced physical damage ranging 

from minor losses to complete destruction. 

Services to children and families were 

disrupted in many programs. Some programs 

with severely damaged or destroyed HS or 

EHS centers offered home-based services or 

temporarily moved services to a leased alternate 

location. 

In the immediate after-math of Hurricane 

Sandy, Head Start and Early Head Start 

programs worked to contact families and 

connect them with basic necessities and 

resources. The Office of Head Start, including 

Region II administrators, in conjunction 

with partners from the Head Start Training 

and Technical Assistance National Centers 

assembled a mental health response team/task 

force to work with state and federal teams to 

provide immediate and on-going mental health 

support for children, families and program staff 

members. The task force developed a triage 

assessment instrument, “Impacts of Super 

Storm Sandy: Head Start Program Assessment 

Guide” to assist the mental health response 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 9: What have Head Start Programs Learned from Disasters? 

team in identifying and documenting programs’ 

mental health support needs. The goals of the 

assessment tool were to: 

•	 Provide helpful information for mental health 

providers about OHS programs 

•	 Triage the mental heal needs of program 

participants 

• Create an action plan for support 

The mental health task force also established, 

developed, and approved a resource list for 

distribution. Head Start staff members from the 

T/TA National Centers were available by phone 

and to make site visits to EHS/HS programs 

to provide additional mental health support. 

On the site visits, TA staff provided EHS/ 

HS programs with information about signs 

and symptoms of trauma as well as hands on 

resources for supporting children and families. 

Lessons Learned: 

1. Accessing clear information about the 

availability of resources and basic necessities 

(housing, food, clothing etc.) without access 

to phones and electricity is challenging. 

2. Many undocumented individuals or 

immigrant families were particularly 

vulnerable to the impact of Hurricane Sandy. 

Many immigrant families were reluctant 

to come forward to access help and/or in 

some instances these families did not qualify 

for the available help. Targeted or strategic 

communications to vulnerable populations 

who may not come forward for help may be 

needed. 

3. Much of the immediate focus of attention 

and assistance in the recovery efforts was 

on meeting the immediate physical or 

basic needs. However, the stress of loss 

(i.e. losing loved ones, losing a home, a job, 

and one’s belongings); living with relatives 

Quote from a teacher in a New Jersey 

Head Start program: “We have a child in 

our class whose home was destroyed. They 

have been living with different relatives 

and friends for months. The mom shared 

that her daughter has been having a really 

difficult time going to bed each night. We 

are looking for strategies and ideas to help 

them with the bedtime routine.” 

Quote from a staff member of a New 

Jersey Head Start program: “I worry 

about what will happen to the families in 

the summer when there are no beaches, no 

ferris wheel, and no jobs in the restaurants 

and hotels. Families may struggle even 

more than they are now.” 

Quote from a teacher in a New Jersey 

Head Start program: “We have children 

who are asking about where their friends 

are. We don’t know what to say about why 

their friends are gone and whether or not 

they will see them again.” 

Quote from a mental health consultant 

supporting a HS program impacted by 

Sandy: “I am trying to support the staff, 

children and families. However, I am so 

challenged because I lost my own home and 

I am really struggling with my own feelings 

of grief and loss.” 

(overcrowding) or in a shelter or other 

temporary home; making transitions to new 

networks of service and support; coping with 

uncertainty; and building new relationships 

with service or care providers; all seemed 

take a significant toll on the mental health of 

children, families and staff. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 9: What have Head Start Programs Learned from Disasters? 

4. In many cases, more mental health support 

was needed than what was available and 

accessible. Staff expressed questions and 

concerns about how to support the mental 

health of children and families in an ongoing 

way as new traumatic reminders and 

concerns came up. Support for staff mental 

health was also identified as a need. Many 

staff members also had homes that were 

damaged or destroyed and experienced other 

personal significant disruptions. 

The Gulf Coast Hurricanes 

of 2005 

The Gulf Coast is often hit by big and small 

hurricanes. Many residents expect to be hit 

by at least one hurricane during the hurricane 

season. However, 2005 was different. The 

vicious combination of three major hurricanes 

in a row and the broken levees in New Orleans 

caused more loss of life and property than 

residents had experienced in at least 50 years. 

A sudden mass migration out of the south 

dispersed families from the Gulf Coast to 

areas throughout the country, causing them to 

lose homes and jobs, and access to child care 

facilities and schools, and support networks. 

Head Start programs took in families wherever 

they were located. Programs: 

1. Opened their doors to offer basic necessities 

(food, clothing, assistance finding shelter) 

2. Connected families 

3. Provided families with resources either to 

return home or to build a life in a new place 

The Office of Head Start and private donations 

offered financial support to local programs 

to help them respond to the needs of the 

new families being served by their program. 

Through the planning process, many programs 

had established strong community relationships 

that facilitated working collaboratively and 

providing comprehensive support. 

One of the many challenges of the 2005 mass 

evacuation was keeping track of staff and 

families. With so many homes destroyed, 

families and staff were forced to move to other 

states where they could find a place to stay 

while they rebuilt their homes on the Gulf 

Coast. 

Within the Head Start community, few systems 

were in place to help people know where 

other members of the community had gone. 

Messages were sent back to programs through 

a variety of means. As soon as it was feasible, 

programs began to rebuild facilities to serve 

returning children and their families. 

During the rebuilding process, many Head 

Start programs emphasized the importance of 

getting their own staff back on their feet before 

attempting to deliver services. Working with 

mental health and emergency preparedness 

professionals, staff members developed and 

practiced plans for relief and recovery that 

could be used in the future. Staff members were 

given support in finding housing, coping with 

loss, and re-establishing connections to family 

members and friends. 

These efforts served dual purposes: 1) Staff 

members were able to take care of themselves 

so that they could later focus on the needs of 

others; and 2) Relief and recovery plans were 

tested to determine their effectiveness for other 

members of the community. When Head Start 

programs eventually opened up their doors 

for children and their families, their needs 

were addressed with improved efficiency and 

effectiveness. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 9: What have Head Start Programs Learned from Disasters? 

Along the Gulf Coast, many programs struggled 

with the destruction of program records. 

Rooms with children’s files were flooded. 

Computerized data were destroyed unless 

data were portable and evacuated by a staff 

member. Many programs had to rebuild their 

records based on data collected during the 

rebuilding process. For those families that had 

relocated, information to help them register in 

a new program was unavailable. Children with 

disabilities or health needs were greatly affected 

because the documentation regarding the 

services guaranteed to them was lost. 

Lessons Learned: 

1. Planning requires preparation for the bestand the worst-case scenarios. 

2. Personal planning for staff members is an 

important component of ensuring that their 

children and families get the consideration 

and care they need. 

3. Practicing emergency preparedness plans 

helps to ensure that the plans will be 

effective. 

4. Crucial program data needs to be maintained 

in a portable manner to retain confidentiality 

and accessibility afterward. This might 

include backing up data at another secure 

location or storing information in a webbased application. 

5. Even Head Start programs not directly 

impacted by a disaster may need to open 

their doors to others who were affected by the 

disaster. 

6. Strong collaborations with local health 

departments and social service organizations 

can support comprehensive services for 

enrolled children and their families, as well as 

those you may welcome after an evacuation. 

Collaboration can be built through your 

Health Services Advisory Committee 

(HSAC), Policy Council, and other governing 

bodies. 

7. Communication systems need to include 

contact information for local and longdistance evacuations in order to support 

people no matter where they go. 

8. When Head Start programs are able 

to rebuild quickly, they can ensure 

comprehensive services to those who need 

them most. 

September 11 Terrorist Attack 

Whether or not you were in New York, Virginia, 

or Pennsylvania the morning of September 11, 

2001, you felt the impact of the 9/11 terrorist 

attacks. What were Head Start programs doing 

that morning and the many mornings after? 

How did they cope with the tragedy and how 

did they move forward? 

While Head Start programs were not directly 

affected in the area around the Pentagon, 

several programs located in Lower Manhattan 

were near “ground zero.” Because they had 

effective emergency preparedness plans in 

place, those programs were able to evacuate to 

nearby Head Start sites where they had built 

collaborative relationships and established 

procedures in advance. There, the children were 

cared for as they waited to be picked up by a 

parent or guardian. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 9: What have Head Start Programs Learned from Disasters? 

Head Start staff in New York City who worked 

during those hours struggled with the decisions 

of whether to stay and for how long. Everyone 

worried about friends and family. Most 

communication systems were down. Cell phone 

connections were unavailable; and telephone 

landlines were overwhelmed. Programs had 

to deal with staffing, communication issues, 

and how to assess and address the needs of 

children, families, and staff members. 

As soon as programs were able to resume 

services, Head Start staff members went into 

overdrive to offer mental health support to 

families. Very young children had seen images 

that horrified most adults, and families were 

grieving personal and national losses. Through 

program resources and a flood of support 

from early childhood and mental health 

organizations, Head Start programs focused 

on helping parents to reduce exposure to the 

disturbing images on the TV and to cope with 

the trauma that children were experiencing. 

The New York State Association for the 

Education of Young Children and the New York 

Head Start-State Collaboration Office worked 

together to implement specific trainings for staff 

members in coping with their own stress, as 

well as the stress of the families they served. By 

offering comprehensive mental health services 

to families and staff members, programs found 

ways to cope and rebuild their lives. 

Lessons Learned: 

1. Collaborations between Head Start and other 

child care programs can assist in providing a 

safe place to evacuate. Collaborations can also 

help with identifying staff members who can 

work in other locations or programs to care 

for extra children if a programs has to close. 

2. Clear communication systems that 

inform families and staff about evacuation 

procedures are essential to reconnect 

families. 

3. Immediate mental health support for families 

and staff is essential to relief and recovery 

efforts. 

4. Personal emergency preparedness planning 

for staff members and families is a key 

component to developing a comprehensive 

program plan. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 10: Conclusion
 

and Next Steps
 

Emergencies can take many forms, including 

natural disasters, health emergencies, and 

chemical hazards. Head Start programs 

should be ready to act in the event of any type 

of emergency situation. To ensure proper 

preparation, it is important that programs 

establish planning teams that can take the lead 

in developing emergency preparedness plans. 

All types of hazards and situations should be 

considered so that the plan works regardless of 

the specific situation. 

A comprehensive, systematic approach 

to emergency preparedness includes an 

assessment of disaster risk, a purposeful 

consideration of the needs of the Head Start 

community, and the identification of resources 

that will allow your program to provide quality 

health, education, and family support services 

during each phase of an emergency. 

As you plan, revise and update your emergency 

preparedness plans continue to think about the 

following: 

Be Informed 

What does my program need to learn about 

protective measures to take before, during and 

after an emergency? 

Make A Plan 

What are my program’s plans to prepare, 

plan and stay informed for different types of 

emergencies? 

Build a Kit 

What disaster supplies does my program need 

to have in the event of an emergency? 

Get Involved 

Who can I work with in my community and 

how can I support community emergency 

preparedness planning? 

Read ACF Children and Youth Task Force 

in Disasters: Guidelines for Development. 

If you are looking for more ways to become 

involved in emergency preparedness the Ready. 

gov website at www.ready.gov/get-involved 

provides information on a number of ways you 

can be involved including the following: 

•	 Volunteer to support disaster efforts in you 

community 

•	 Support the community planning process by 

finding out more ways to be involved in your 

nearest planning organization 

•	 Become a preparedness leader and teach 

other to be prepared. (See http://www. 

ready.gov/preparedness-leader for more 

information) 

Effective emergency preparedness plans can 

alleviate fear, reduce disruption, and save 

valuable time and lives if regularly practiced, 

reviewed and revised (if necessary). When 

Head Start program staff and community 

members are prepared and trained in their 

roles and responsibilities, they are better able to 

protect the health and well-being of the children 

and families served. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 52 OF 93 
 

Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 11: Resources
 

The resources below are listed as a starting point for finding out more information about emergency 

preparedness. 

Administration for Children and Families Early Childhood Disaster Resources 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohsepr/early-childhood 

American Academy of Pediatrics Children & Disasters website 

www.aap.org/disasters 

• Information for child care providers 

http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Children-and-Disasters/ 

Pages/Child-Care-Providers.aspx 

• Promoting Adjustment and Helping Children Cope 

http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Children-and-Disasters/ 

Pages/Promoting-Adjustment-and-Helping-Children-Cope.aspx 

American Academy of Pediatrics healthychildren.org 

This website includes a section on talking to children about tragedies and other news events along 

with information on safety, prevention and health issues. 

Talking to Children about Tragedies and Other News Events 

Responding to Children’s Emotional Needs During Times of Crisis 

American Red Cross 

American Red Cross—Long Island Hurricane Preparedness Guide: Everything You Need to Know 

to Prepare & Protect Your Family 

http://shorehamcivic.homestead.com/files/Presentations_9-17-08/en_guide2.pdf 

Bright Horizons 

Jim Greenman—What Happened to My World? Helping Children Cope with Natural Disaster and 

Catastrophe 

http://www.brighthorizons.com/talking-to-children 

Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edtion 

Provides additional information regarding Disaster Planning, Training and Communication 

http://www.cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

Center for Disability Issues & the Health Professions 

http://hfcdhp.org/emergency-preparedness/ 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emergency Preparedness and Response 

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/planning/index.asp 

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) 

http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 53 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Chapter 11: Resources 

Emergency Management Institute 

http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/ 

Head Start Emergency Preparedness website 

Provides additional information, resources, and tip sheets 

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/ep 

National Association of School Psychologists 

Helping Children Cope with Crisis: Care for Caregivers 

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/CaregiverTips.pdf 

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network 

www.nctsn.org 

Office of Child Care 

Child Care Resources for Disasters and Emergencies 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/resource/child-care-resources-for-disasters-andemergencies 

Office of Head Start National Center on Health Emergency Preparedness 

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/ep 

Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center 

Helping Youth and Children Recover from Traumatic Events 

http://rems.ed.gov/HelpingYouthandChildrenRecoverFromTraumaticEvents.aspx 

Ready.gov 

www.ready.gov 

Sesame Street 

Here for Each Other: A resource for Parents and Caregivers 

http://www.sesamestreet.org/cms_services/services?action=download&fileName=For%20 

Parents:%20Here%20for%20Each%20Other&uid=88b10d16-be94-4962-bd02-f3fcefbab5c4 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

Tips for Survivors of a Traumatic Event: What to Expect in Your Personal, Family, Work and 

Financial Life 

http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//NMH02-0139/NMH02-0139.pdf 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Emergency website 

Provides information and resources, including tips for talking to children and adults about tragic 

events. A link to the disaster distress helpline is also provided. 

http://www.phe.gov/emergency/events/newtown/Pages/default.aspx 

U.S. Department of Education, Resources for Parents following Traumatic Events 

Includes parent tip sheets for helping infants, toddles and preschool age children after disasters. 

http://www.ed.gov/blog/2012/12/resources-for-parents-following-traumatic-events/ 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Appendices
 

56 Emergency Preparedness Program Questionnaire 

57 Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Systems and Services 

63 The Practice-Review-Revise Cycle 

65 Influenza Prevention and Control 

71 Safe Spaces and Procedures for Threats of Violence 

72 Checklist for Staff Members and Children with Access, 

Functional and Other Needs 

74 Child Information Sheet 

76 Emergency Kit Checklist for Evacuation 

77 Evacuation Checklist 

80 Emergency Treatment Permission Form 

81 Emergency Contact Form 

82 Organizational Roles and Responsibilities Is Emergency 

Preparedness 

83 Reunification Procedures 

85 Shelter-In Place: Things to Keep in Mind 

85 Emergency Kit Checklist for Shelter-In Place 

86 Shelter-In Place & Lockdown 

90 Site Closing Procedures 

91 Nonstructural Safety Checklist 

93 Grab-and-Go Kit Checklist 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Preparedness Program Questionnaire
 

The following questions are provided to help you determine the steps you may need to take to 

develop a written comprehensive and effective emergency preparedness plan. 

1.	 Has your program conducted a comprehensive risk analysis to determine the emergencies 


your program may face? If so, when was the last time this was completed?
 

2.	 Has your program made alterations to its emergency plans to cope with emergencies that have 

been identified? 

3.	 Does your program have an emergency preparedness plan for each emergency that might occur? 

4.	 Has your program integrated personal emergency preparedness planning for staff members 


and families into your program’s preparedness plans?
 

5.	 Has your program considered all of Head Start’s program systems and services in your plan? 


(See page 57 for information on systems, services and emergency planning.)
 

6.	 Has your program developed specific procedures for preparedness, response, and recovery, 


including how to be and stay informed, make a plan, make a kit, and stay involved?
 

7.	 Does your program have a list of activities and procedures to implement immediately following 

an emergency to ensure the safety and basic necessities of families and staff in your program 

are met? 

8.	 Does your program have detailed plans for how to resume services as well as support families 

and staff in rebuilding their lives? As a starting point, you may want to start by thinking about 

the following questions: 

•	 Has your program identified at least one other program that can help out by caring for 

children in an emergency? 

•	 Does your program have a plan for how to resume services and offer recovery, support and 

other assistance? 

9.	 Does your program have plans for practicing and revising your emergency preparedness plans? 

10.	 Does your program have plans to address the access, functional, and other needs of children, 

staff members and families? 

11.	 Does your program have plans that address procedures for specific age groups such as infants, 

toddlers, and preschool children who may have different abilities and mobility constraints? 

12.	 Does your program have plans that include how to address the mental health and emotional 

needs of children, families and staff members before, during and after an emergency? 

13.	 Does your program have training plans in place to train children, families and staff members 

about emergency preparedness plans and procedures? 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 56 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Preparedness:
 

Head Start Management Systems and Services
 

Effective emergency preparedness plans take 

into consideration Head Start systems and 

services. Emergencies may disrupt services for 

Head Start children and families and affect the 

function and roles of Head Start systems. 

As you plan, review and revise your emergency 

plans and think about Head Start systems 

and services and how each plays an important 

role in making sure children, staff members 

and families are safe and protected during an 

emergency. 

Head Start Management 

Systems 

Program Self-Assessment 

Head Start programs are required to have a 

self-assessment process. Programs need to 

examine their emergency plans annually and 

determine how plans are integrated into the 

program systems and services. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Review and revise the self-assessment tool 

to incorporate emergency preparedness 

planning 

•	 Assess how the community will be warned 

and how evacuation routes and other 

procedures will be used in an emergency 

Communication 

When emergencies occur, two-way 

communication is critical. Effective 

communication systems allow the program 

to serve as a reliable point of contact for 

Head Start families, staff members and the 

community. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Provide accessible communication in varying 

literacy levels and languages other than English 

•	 Design, implement and train staff members 

on emergency communication protocols 

•	 Establish places to meet for off-site staff 

members (e.g. home visitors) 

•	 Consider ways to communicate directly with 

local health department representatives, 

radio, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration radio, television stations, 

ACF regional office, Head Start Collaboration 

Office and other community partners 

•	 Share emergency communication plans 

with all family members upon entry into the 

program 

•	 Share emergency communication plans with 

all staff members 

•	 For families that do not have access to 

telephones, radios, or television, consider 

alternative communication methods to share 

information 

•	 For on-site emergencies, such as an intruder, 

develop a code system to communicate 

procedures 

•	 See AAP Children & Disasters Promoting 

Strategic Communications and Systematic 

Messaging website for more information 

Financial Management 

Emergencies can be costly. Part of emergency 

preparedness planning is anticipating what 

level of financial resources will be needed in 

different situations. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Cost to provide professional development 

to staff members and parent education on 

emergency preparedness 

•	 Cost of making materials available in 

languages other than English 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Management Systems and Services 

•	 Costs of providing accommodations for 

children and staff members with access, 

functional and other needs 

•	 Coordination of fiscal support through the 

ACF Regional Office for unanticipated needs 

•	 Program insurance polices to guarantee that 

Head Start centers are insured at a level that 

supports rebuilding costs 

•	 Costs for disaster supplies 

•	 Costs of building supplies, contractors, and 

items such as electrical generators and sump 

pumps 

•	 Costs to purchase supplies that are normally 

available, but might be in short supply during 

certain disasters 

•	 Arrangements that might need to be made 

to ensure that staff members are paid if 

business operations are interrupted 

Human Resources 

It is important to train staff members 

and inform parents about your program’s 

emergency policies and procedures. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Encourage the development and practice of 

personal emergency preparedness plans for 

staff members and their family members 

•	 Offer training on your program’s plan, 

emergency techniques (e.g. CPR, first aid) 

and ongoing practice so that responsibilities 

are clear, actions are automatic, and systems 

are in place if an emergency arises 

•	 Plan and collect resources for meeting the 

needs of families and staff members during 

the response and recovery phases 

•	 Design a process for staffing the program 

during and after a disaster 

•	 Ensure that professional mental health 

support services are readily available to staff 

members 

•	 Foster staff’s ability to communicate basic 

warning messages in other languages as 

needed (this might include use of universal 

symbols, translation services, and other 

communication strategies) 

•	 Make materials and services available in 

languages other than English, as appropriate 

and according to the needs of the community 

Ongoing Monitoring 

Ongoing monitoring identifies both what 

is working and what the challenges are in 

implementing your program’s emergency 

preparedness plan. Ongoing monitoring helps 

programs anticipate next steps, identify gaps, 

and improve implementation. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Develop regular, center-based practice 

schedules for various types of emergencies 

•	 Periodically check the availability of needed 

supplies 

•	 Offer frequent opportunities to train staff 

members, parents, and community partners 

on the program’s emergency preparedness 

plans 

•	 Include opportunities for community 

members, local health department contacts, 

staff members and families to reflect on the 

plan details and offer suggestions 

•	 Revise plans as needed and inform 

community partners and others of updates 

•	 Evaluate the need for non-English language 

materials to respond to demographic changes 

in the community 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 58 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Management Systems and Services 

Program Planning 

Program planning is essential for Head Start 

program effectiveness. Programs are required to 

develop and implement a systematic, ongoing 

process of program planning. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Make sure that step-by-step procedures are 

in place for the three phases of disasters: 

preparedness, response and recovery 

•	 Consider the various types of emergencies 

that may occur and the effects each might 

have on programs 

•	 Identify community and regional 

organizations that are available to help 

•	 Assign specific roles and responsibilities for 

individuals involved in planning 

•	 Ensure that resources and support systems 

are available for shelter-in place and 

evacuations 

•	 Collect and maintain full contact information 

for all emergency preparedness personnel 

and partners 

•	 Store vital information in a secure and readily 

accessible location 

•	 Provide copies of emergency preparedness 

plans to staff members, community partners, 

and families 

•	 Offer resources and assistance to staff 

members to help them address their 

individual preparedness planning needs 

Record Keeping and Reporting 

In some emergency situations, program 

records are at risk for being lost or destroyed. 

Emergency preparedness planning should 

include discussion of procedures for 

maintaining and protecting confidential child, 

family and program information. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Consider placing back-up files on an external 

drive or other remote or cloud-based system 

that is secure and easily accessible 

•	 Partner with security and information 

technology providers to ensure that 

documents are safely and securely transferred 

•	 Ensure that program records are stored to 

protect personal information 

•	 Work with parents and staff members to 

have important documents stored in a way 

that enables them to “grab and go” if they are 

required to evacuate 

•	 Develop a plan to track and share attendance 

and enrollment information with the ACF 

Regional Office and Head Start Collaboration 

Office to sustain services to families 

Program Governance 

Program health services plans, budgets, policies 

and procedures must be approved by your 

program’s governing body and Policy Council. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Engage your governing bodies in the 

development of your program planning, 

specifically focusing on emergency 

preparedness 

Facilities, Materials and Equipment 

Facilities, materials, and equipment systems 

ensure that Head Start programs provide safe 

environments and opportunities for learning. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Determine if additional materials or 

equipment are needed for emergency 

preparedness purposes, to ensure children 

and staff members are healthy and safe 

•	 Assess if modifications are needed to facilities 

in preparation for emergencies or after an 

event or crisis has occurred 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 59 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Management Systems and Services 

Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, 

Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA): 

Head Start programs use the results of their 

community assessments to develop ERSEA 

policies. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 ERSEA policies help to track children being 

served from another Head Start program 

as a result of a disaster. Determine how 

your ERSEA policies meet the health needs 

of children and families who may have 

experienced a crisis or tragic event 

•	 Review attendance policies to find out if 

they include gathering data about children 

and families who may not be attending your 

program as a result of an emergency or crisis 

and how records are kept regarding their 

current contact information 

•	 Know how attendance is determined 

and used to ensure that each child and 

staff member is accounted for during an 

emergency or crisis 

Head Start Services 

Collaboration ensures that community 

resources are appropriately utilized to maintain 

or restore normalcy for children, families, 

staff members and your Head Start program. 

Programs need to collaborate internally 

with staff members, as well as externally 

with community partners. It is important to 

develop partnerships prior to an emergency 

or crisis, including finding out about possible 

linkages with a Children & Youth Task Force 

and Disaster Behavioral Health Coalition. (See 

the ACF Children and Youth Task Force in 

Disasters: Guidelines for Development) 

Collaborative partners include: 

•	 Local fire department officials 

•	 Emergency medical system staff 

•	 Local emergency management agency 

personnel 

•	 Health care providers (e.g. clinics, physicians 

and dentists) 

•	 Nutritional service providers 

•	 Individuals and agency representatives that 

serve children with disabilities and their 

families 

•	 Family preservation and support services staff 

•	 Child Protective Services and other similar 

agency personnel 

•	 Local school representatives 

•	 Child care service providers 

•	 Faith-based organizational staff members 

•	 Members of community, cultural and other 

organizations that serve the various linguistic 

and cultural populations represented in your 

program 

•	 Other members of organizations or 

businesses that may provide support and 

resources 

Disability Services 

During emergencies, implementing wellrehearsed plans that accommodate the access, 

functional and other needs of individuals with 

disabilities is critical. 

Emergency planning consideration: 

•	 Identify and modify as necessary, evacuation 

routes that can accommodate individuals 

with limited mobility (i.e. physical, visual or 

hearing impairments) 

•	 Put systems in place to store and transport 

medication, equipment and mobility devices 

in case children are temporarily sheltered-in 

place or evacuated 

•	 Work with community partners to identify 

procedures for letting first responders and 

others know about the access, functional and 

other needs in your program 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Management Systems and Services 

•	 Determine how you will track and monitor 

the needs of children, staff members and 

families, including temporary disabilities 

such as broken limbs 

•	 Ensure that staff members have guidance 

on how to discuss disaster preparation and 

evacuation procedures for children and staff 

members with access, functional or other 

needs 

See Chapter 8 of this Manual for more 

information on accommodating access, 

functional and other needs. 

Education and Early Childhood 

Development Services 

When an emergency or crisis occurs, being 

able to continue educational services provides 

children with a sense of normalcy when life can 

seem unpredictable. Children need a safe and 

supportive place. Families also need a secure 

place that continues to provide educational and 

support services while they put other aspects of 

their lives back together. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Develop possible options for maintaining 

daily schedules and routines as much as 

possible 

•	 Practice emergency plans frequently, 

using simple directions until children are 

comfortable with the routine 

•	 Use strategies such as verbal and visual 

prompts (e.g. signs or lights), materials 

(e.g. flashlights, safety vests) and concrete 

experiences to explain emergency 

preparedness plans 

•	 Provide developmentally-appropriate 

instruction and materials to help children 

and families cope 

•	 Develop strategies for communicating with 

families about the educational plans you have 

in place during emergencies 

Facilities 

Head Start programs are required to have 

safety measures in place to reduce damage from 

disasters and other events. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Assess facilities to ensure that safety 

precautions are in place, such as fire 

extinguishers, an emergency generator, 

etc. Re-assess prior to seasons of potential 

natural disasters. 

•	 Develop plans for waste disposal if local 

services are disrupted 

•	 Create contingency plan to compensate for 

plumbing or water problems 

•	 Purchase supplies to support ventilation and 

air quality 

•	 Purchase materials to block outside air 

from entering the building in the event 

of hazardous, biological or chemical 

contamination 

•	 Make sure emergency food and water 

supplies are fresh and replenished as needed 

•	 Develop procedures for reporting damage 

to your city or county office of emergency 

management. (This helps your local officials 

conduct a damage assessment to support 

applications for disaster funds.) 

•	 Develop procedures for contacting your 

insurance company and/or landlord to begin 

the process of repairs, if needed 

•	 Develop procedures for reporting concerns 

about your building’s safety 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 61 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Preparedness: Head Start Management Systems and Services 

Family Support 

When emergencies happen, families often 

experience chaotic situations. Head Start 

programs provide services to families to help 

them in their time of need. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Put-in-place procedures to help families 

develop their own preparedness plans 

•	 Provide training and resources on 

preparedness for families 

•	 Encourage families to do the following: 

•	 Identify a family meeting place in case 

their home is not safe 

•	 Establish a communication plan in case 

cell phone towers and phone lines are 

disabled 

•	 Identify an in-town and out-oftown contact person to help with 

communications if families cannot use 

their phones or get word to others 

•	 Increase awareness of community resources 

and other support services during times of 

emergency 

•	 Include family representatives on your 

emergency planning team 

•	 Develop procedures for implementing 

donation drives to meet the needs of families 

who have experienced a disaster 

•	 Have plans in place for how your program 

will communicate with families with limited 

English proficiency and take into account 

the needs of diverse linguistic and cultural 

groups 

Health Services 

The primary focus of continuing to provide 

health services during an emergency is to 

maintain the health and safety of children, 

families and staff members. 

Emergency planning considerations: 

•	 Ensure that first aid kits and disaster supplies 

kits are maintained at all times 

•	 Determine your program’s water and nonperishable food supply needs 

•	 Maintain a regular schedule for replacing 

water and non-perishable food 

•	 Ensure that staff members are up-to-date on 

their immunizations, particularly tetanus and 

influenza 

•	 Maintain supplies to support physical 

and oral health, such as soap, shampoo, 

toothpaste, toothbrushes and water for 

bathing 

•	 Secure an alternate method for storing 

medications that require refrigeration 

•	 Develop procedures for ensuring that 

appropriate staff members have copies of 

required health records and medications 

•	 Involve the HSAC in planning and 

communication with local health care 

facilities and providers 

•	 Prepare individual Heath Care Plans (if 

applicable) for families to “grab and go” if 

they are forced to evacuate 

Mental Health 

The social and emotional impact of an 

emergency can last long after its initial impact. 

Emergency preparedness planning 

considerations: 

•	 Work with your mental health consultant to 

develop procedures for sharing mental health 

resources and working with staff members 

and families after a disaster 

•	 Determine the responsibilities of your mental 

health consultant and/or other available 

community mental health resources/agencies 

in the wake of an emergency 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 62 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

The Practice-Review-Revise Cycle
 

The Practice-Review-Revise cycle is the process Practice 

used to practice your emergency plans, review 

for needed changes, and revise accordingly. 

Your planning team determines a schedule 

for your program to practice the procedures 

for each phase and review and update your 

plans. This cycle is essential for effective 

implementation of your plans should an 

emergency occur. 

What is the Practice-ReviewRevise Cycle? 

To determine how well your plan really works, 

you need to practice it regularly with staff 

members, families, and community partners 

and identify any needed improvements. 

Practice helps to uncover stumbling blocks or 

problems with your plan. Then, you can revise 

your plan with new solutions to problems 

detected. 

The cycle involves three stages: 

•	 Practice 

•	 Review 

•	 Revise 

The practice stage is when your program 

implements its practice schedule(s). Head Start 

programs implement fire and other drills, but 

they also need to practice for other emergency 

situations. Some local governments implement 

community-wide practices that might include 

your Head Start program. Collaborative 

relationships developed by your planning team, 

especially with local health and emergency 

agencies/departments, can help ensure that 

your program is part of these drills. 

During practices, staff members, children, 

families and partners go through each phase of 

an emergency from response to recovery. For 

long-distance evacuation, programs should 

develop a way to simulate the long-distance 

evacuation. For example, programs may ask 

staff members or families to only be accessible 

through their alternative emergency numbers. 

During the practice stage, participants should 

include: 

•	 Staff members 

•	 Administrators 

•	 Children 

•	 Families 

•	 Local health department officials 

•	 First responders (including fire, police, and 

health) 

•	 Community partners (including mental 

health professionals, local social service 

organizations, and local businesses) 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 63 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

The Practice-Review-Revise Cycle 

Review 

During the review stage, some or all of those 

involved in the practices should review and 

provide feedback on what worked and what 

did not work. Participants should identify all 

the areas in the plan where there are gaps or 

needs for improvements. Often, not everyone 

can participate in a review meeting. Offering 

opportunities for other ways to provide 

feedback, either by follow-up interviews or 

surveys, may also be a useful way to gather 

information. 

Revise 

During the revise stage, your program’s 

planning team makes revisions to the plans 

based on the feedback from the practice(s). 

Plan revision needs to be an inclusive 

process. It may be helpful to use a facilitator 

and develop guidelines both for discussions 

and for procedures that will determine how 

changes will be decided. Once the revisions 

are made, they must be communicated to all 

involved, including staff members, families, and 

community partners. When communicating 

about the changes, your program may want to 

explain why the revisions were made and how 

the review and revise process works. 

By using the Practice-Review-Revise cycle 

approach, your program will have procedures 

for the following: 

•	 Offering regular training opportunities 

•	 Improving your program’s emergency 

preparedness plans 

•	 Ensuring the readiness of your program to 

face an emergency situation effectively 

What does the timeline or the 

cycle need to be? 

Your Practice-Review-Revise cycle should 

be part of your program’s annual calendar. 

Your planning team should work with your 

HSAC, Policy Council and other program staff 

members to make sure that practice sessions 

and times for reviewing and revising content 

meet the specific regulations for your program. 

States and territories may have different 

regulations for the number of times a program 

is expected to practice specific drills. 

Additionally, your local community drills are an 

excellent opportunity for collaborative practice. 

For some emergencies, you may decide to 

coordinate your Practice-Review-Revise cycle 

with your community to ensure that your plans 

fit within the community-wide framework. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 64 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Influenza Prevention and Control
 

The flu (influenza) is a contagious disease 

caused by a group of respiratory viruses 

called influenza viruses. The flu virus is highly 

contagious and causes serious illness that may 

result in hospitalization or death. It mostly 

affects the breathing system but may also affect 

the whole body. In this section, when “flu” is 

used, it is referring to influenza virus infection. 

In the community, some people might use 

the word “flu” to refer to viral gastroenteritis 

(vomiting and diarrhea) or any disease that 

causes “influenza-like illness.” 

Flu outbreaks occur each year during the 

winter, sometimes as early as October, but 

generally not until December or January. 

Sometimes the flu season continues as late as 

March, April, or even May. More than one-third 

of children younger than six years old may be 

infected with the influenza virus each year. 

However, some infected children do not show 

signs or symptoms of illness. This makes it 

challenging to identify who is infected and then 

control the spread of these germs. 

Each year, the flu season is different. It is not 

possible to know whether the flu season will 

start early or later in the fall or winter. Local 

influenza outbreaks generally last about 6 to 8 

weeks. 

You can usually tell when an outbreak is 

occurring in your community by following 

various forms of media coverage or by checking 

with your local health department. The Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

offers a map that shows influenza activity at 

www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm. This 

map is updated every week. 

Children younger than 6 years of age spread 

germs easily due to their increased handto-mouth activity, lack of covering coughs 

and sneezes, and curious and social nature. 

Influenza immunization is the best strategy to 

reduce infection and spread, yet immunization 

is not always 100% effective. Some children will 

continue to get sick and spread infection. 

It is important for Head Start staff members to 

recognize that: 

•	 Children can spread influenza into families 

and the community 

•	 Immunization is by far the best influenza 

prevention tactic 

•	 All children 6 months and older should be 

vaccinated every year for seasonal influenza 

•	 Anyone who provides child care for a young 

child should be vaccinated for seasonal 

influenza every year (this is especially 

important when the child is younger than 6 

months of age, too young to receive the flu 

vaccine) 

•	 Infection control is also important, but not as 

effective as immunization 

•	 Exclusion (sending children home) should 

be used when needed, but not as the only 

method to reduce the spread of infections 

Your goals are to do your best to: 

•	 Get as many staff members and children as 

possible immunized before and during the 

flu season. 

•	 Reduce the spread of respiratory disease as 

much as possible 

•	 Appropriately recognize illness, and 


exclude ill children when necessary
 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 65 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Influenza Prevention and Control 

Flu Symptoms 

Flu symptoms include: 

• Sudden onset of fever* 

• Abdominal pain 

• Chills 

• Cough 

• Croup, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia 

• Decreased energy or feeling a lot more 

tired than usual 

• Headache 

• Muscle aches and pains 

• Nasal congestion 

• Nausea 

• Sore throat 

*Fever is defined as a temperature above 

101°F (38.3°C) orally, above 102°F 

(38.9°C) rectally, or 100°F (37.8°C) 

or higher taken axillary (armpit) or 

measured by an equivalent method. 

Influenza looks like other respiratory diseases, 

but can be more serious. We don’t know 

which children with respiratory illnesses have 

influenza or not. During a local influenza 

outbreak, the chances of a child having 

influenza increase, but most respiratory 

illnesses are still caused by viruses other than 

influenza. 

Although flu can be severe, some children get 

infected and have few or no symptoms. Also, 

children with common colds can have fever. But 

generally, common cold viruses do not lead to 

serious illness requiring hospitalization. 

Seasonal influenza and other viral infections 

can cause similar symptoms. It is usually not 

possible to determine whether a patient has 

seasonal influenza or another infection based on 

When Do Adults 

and Children Spread 

Infection? 

Adults and children can spread infection 

when they are: 

• Sick with fever, runny nose, sore throat, 

and cough 

• Infected but not showing signs of 

illness 

• Developing an illness (incubation 

period) 

• Recovering from influenza 

symptoms alone. A physician should determine 

if someone should be tested for illnesses based 

on symptoms, clinical presentation and recent 

travel or exposure history. 

Because you cannot tell whether someone has 

the flu, this makes it challenging to control the 

spread of germs. 

Influenza viruses are shared or “transmitted” 

fairly easily. Flu viruses are in the droplets that 

form when a child coughs. Coughing into an 

elbow or shoulder will direct these droplets onto 

their arm instead of into the air. This is called 

respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. Children 

and adults should cough into their elbows or 

onto their shoulder to decrease the spread of the 

flu. If a tissue is available, the person can cough 

into the tissue but it must be properly disposed 

of right away, and the hand(s) that touched the 

tissue should be washed. 

If a child uses his hand to cover his mouth 

while coughing, his hands will be covered with 

the virus that he can then pass along to another 

child or to a staff member. Furthermore, the 

hand that covers the mouth will be covered 

with nasal discharge, which is full of the virus. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 66 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Influenza Prevention and Control 

The single best way to protect against 

seasonal flu and its potential severe 

complications is for children and 

caregivers to get a seasonal influenza 

vaccine each year. 

This can spread the virus directly to anyone this 

child touches or indirectly if the child plays with 

a toy that another child then touches. So it is 

best for parents and caregivers to teach children 

to cough into their elbows and not onto their 

hands. If children do cough into their hands or 

wipe their nose with their hand or arm, they 

should be encouraged to wash their hands 

right away. 

Despite all efforts, some children are likely to 

develop influenza. While no one can guarantee 

that a child or caregiver will not become 

infected, Head Start staff members can do as 

much as possible to prevent influenza and limit 

the spread of germs. 

Influenza Vaccine 

Seasonal influenza vaccines are the best 

available protection against influenza. The 

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 

recommends that everyone (6 months of 

age and older) get the flu vaccine every year. 

Protection from the flu vaccine only lasts for 

one flu season. The virus strains in the vaccine 

change from one year to the next, so the 

protection needs updating every year. The best 

time to get the flu vaccine is the late summer/ 

early fall—as soon as the vaccine is available. 

However, a child can still be protected if she 

gets a flu vaccine as late as March, April, or 

through June. She will still need another shot 

in the fall for the next flu season. It is not a 

problem if a person gets the flu vaccine late in 

one season (e.g., April or May) and early in the 

next season (e.g., August or September). 

The best way to protect young children from 

getting infected is for all family members and 

all the people that surround the child (other 

children, parents, and teachers/caregivers) to 

get immunized. This is called “cocooning,” and 

it is especially important when children are 

younger than 6 months of age. 

Get Immunized—Every Year!
 

Lead by example by making sure all 


staff members caring for children 


receive vaccination for seasonal 


influenza every year.
 

Role of Caregivers/Teachers 

Head Start staff members play an important 

role in the prevention and control of influenza. 

Vaccine refusal poses a risk to everyone, 

especially infants younger than 6 months old 

and others with medical conditions that limit 

their ability to receive full vaccine protection. 

It is important to know that when the number 

of under-immunized and unimmunized 

people increases (i.e., when fewer people get 

vaccinated), disease will spread more easily 

in groups. Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable 

diseases have occurred and children have 

suffered from some severe complications that 

could have been prevented. Some children and 

adults who have not received vaccines may 

have valid medical or religious reasons for this 

refusal, but by refusing to get vaccinated, they 

put themselves at risk, and they increase the 

risk to others in group care with them. 

Head Start Health managers can consult with 

their Health Services Advisory Council on how 

best to address this situation with families. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 67 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Influenza Prevention and Control 

Staff Immunization 

All staff members who work in Head Start need 

an annual flu vaccine in the fall. Flu vaccine not 

only reduces the spread of influenza to children, 

staff members, and families who use the child 

care program, it also reduces the subsequent 

spread to the entire community. 

Reasons Why 

Adults Say They 

Don’t Get Influenza 

Immunizations 

To increase the number of staff members 

who are immunized, it’s important to 

understand the reasons why adults say 

they don’t get influenza immunizations. 

Note: These reasons can also apply to 

families in your programs. 

Adults who elect not to get vaccinated 

generally say: 

• They believe that healthy people don’t 

need it 

• Their doctor does not recommend 

that they get this vaccine or leaves the 

decision up to them, especially if they 

say, “I don’t want to get this vaccine; is 

that okay?” 

• They have a fear of vaccine side effects 

• They have gotten the flu vaccine before 

but ended up getting sick anyway 

• They worry that the vaccine “gave 

them” the flu 

• They do not see their doctor on a 

regular basis 

• They are afraid of needles 

• It may be too costly or inconvenient to 

get the vaccine 

To increase the number of staff members and 

families who get the flu vaccine, programs can 

do the following: 

•	 Inform staff members and families about 

influenza vaccine recommendations 

•	 Aim to reduce barriers such as fear of side 

effects, cost, and inconvenience 

•	 Have a physician or “local trusted source” 

come to your program to offer education and 

training 

•	 Improve access to immunizations by offering 

free vaccines for your program 

•	 Eliminate costs and/or provide incentives 

(e.g., give staff paid time off to get vaccinated 

and a gift card to cover the cost of the 

vaccine) 

•	 Help establish the habit (and the expectation) 

of yearly flu vaccine 

To provide on-site immunizations, contact 

your local health department or an agency like 

Passport Heath, Inc. to set up a clinic on-site. If 

on-site access cannot be arranged, then make it 

convenient for staff members to get vaccinated 

by sharing information about local sites and 

offering paid/scheduled time off. Almost all 

studies show influenza immunization is costeffective for a business. Some businesses pay for 

the vaccine (so that it is free for employees). 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 68 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Influenza Prevention and Control 

Standards for Influenza Prevention 

The following are the main standards related to influenza from Caring for Our Children, 3rd 

Edtion. Head Start staff members should also consult the Office of Head Start’s Compliance 

with Care tool at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/school-readiness/ 

goals/crosswalk.html 

All of the Caring for Our Children standards can be viewed online at the National Resource 

Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education website. Use the “Browse 

CFOC3 Content” button to search using key words or standard numbers or categories. 

7.3.3.1: Influenza Immunizations for Children and Caregivers/Teachers cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/7.3.3.1 

7.3.3.2: Influenza Control cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/7.3.3.2 

7.3.3.3: Influenza Prevention Education cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/7.3.3.3 

9.2.4.4: Written Plan for Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/9.2.4.4 

Every program should have written policies and procedures for staff members to follow and 

for supervisors to use to check that these protocols are followed. 

3.1.1.1 Conduct of Daily Health Check cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.1.1.1 

3.2.2.2 Hand-washing Procedure cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.2.2.2 

3.2.3.2 Cough and Sneeze Etiquette cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.2.3.2 

3.3.0.1: Routine Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/3.3.0.1 

Also see Appendix K, Guide for Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

WebFiles/AppendicesUpload/AppendixK.pdf 

3.6.1.1 Inclusion/Exclusion/Dismissal of Children cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.6.1.1 

3.6.1.2 Staff Exclusion for Illness cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.6.1.2 

3.6.1.4 Infectious Disease Outbreak Control cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.6.1.4 

3.6.2.1 Exclusion and Alternative Care for Children Who Are Ill cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/3.6.2.1 

7.3.3.1 Influenza Immunizations for Children and Caregivers/Teachers cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/7.3.3.1 

9.2.4.3 Disaster Planning, Training, and Communications cfoc.nrckids.org/ 

StandardView/9.2.4.3 

9.4.1.2 Maintenance of Records cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/9.4.1.2 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 69 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Influenza Prevention and Control 

Resources 

Current AAP policy “Recommendations 

for Prevention and Control of Influenza 

in Children, 2014–2015”. pediatrics. 

aappublications.org/content/early/2014/09/ 

17/peds.2014-2413.full.pdf+html 

AAP Red Book Online Influenza Resource 

page. redbook.solutions.aap.org/ss/influenzaresources.aspx 

AAP Children and Disasters website. www.aap. 

org/disasters 

AAP Immunization website. www2.aap.org/ 

immunization/illnesses/flu/influenza.html 

AAP Quick Facts: What You Need to Know 

About Influenza. AAP website. www2.aap. 

org/immunization/illnesses/flu/quickfacts_ 

influenza.pdf 

American Academy of Pediatrics, American 

Public Health Association, National Resource 

Center for Health and Safety in Child Care 

and Early Education. Caring for Our Children: 

National Health and Safety Performance 

Standards: Guidelines for Early Care and 

Education Programs. 3rd ed. Elk Grove Village, 

IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2011. Also 

available at cfoc.nrckids.org 

Aronson SS, Shope TR. Managing Infectious 

Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick 

Reference Guide. 3rd ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: 

American Academy of Pediatrics; 2013. 

http://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/single/ 

Managing-Infectious-Diseases.aspx 

Managing Infectious Diseases in Child 

Care and Schools: A Quick Reference Guide 

Hand Hygiene. http://www.aap.org/en-us/ 

Documents/proresources_hand_hygiene.pdf 

Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and 

Schools: A Quick Reference Guide Infectious 

Disease Outbreaks, Epidemics, and Bioterrorism/ 

Environmental Health Emergencies http:// 

www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/proresources_ 

id_outbreaks.pdf 

AAP Healthy Children website. www. 

healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/ 

immunizations/Pages/Preventing-the-FluResources-for-Parents-Child-Care-Providers. 

aspx and http://www.healthychildren.org/ 

English/health-issues/conditions/prevention/ 

Pages/Prevention-In-Child-Care-or-School. 

aspx 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 

Seasonal Flu. CDC website. www.cdc.gov/flu 

Free print materials are available at www.cdc. 

gov/flu/freeresources/ 

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. 

www.preventchildhoodinfluenza.org/ 

Families Fighting Flu. www.familiesfightingflu. 

org/ 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 70 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Safe Spaces and Procedures for
 

Threats of Violence
 

Many programs or schools have safe rooms or procedures that they use when there 


is a threat of violence.
 

A safe room is a space that is:
 

• Protected, such as a large closet where babies, young children and adults can hide 

• Sound-protected so that if children talk or cry they cannot be heard easily outside of the room 

• Comfortable so that children’s stress is reduced 

• Entertaining so that children can play quietly while waiting out the danger 

Safe procedures are systems that teachers and staff members use to: 

• Ensure threats cannot access the room or classroom by putting barriers in front of the doors 

• Prevent anyone from seeing inside the classroom or safe room by blocking windows 

• Ensure that children cannot be heard 

• Comfort children who might feel fear or experience stress 

By using a safe room or safe procedures, programs reduce the threat of violence and the impact of 

the event on children and staff members. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 71 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Checklist for Staff Members and Children with
 

Access, Functional and Other Needs
 

Use this list to identify roles, responsibilities, and processes to ensure the needs of all children and 

staff members are addressed in your emergency plan. 

Specify how each of the following procedures will be implemented. 

Track any access, functional or other requirements and how they will be addressed: 

Create a list of children and staff members with access, functional or other needs 

Identify if the needs are temporary and develop procedures for changes in temporary needs 

(a child or staff member with a broken limb, etc.) 

Identify accommodations for: 

Normal operations 

Shelter-in place 

Evacuation 

Drills and practice 

No water or electricity 

Include information on medications, equipment, and allergies
 

Assign at least two staff members to assist the children and adults with access, functional or 


other needs
 

Identify and track any training required to care for the children
 

Identify processes for medications and other equipment during an emergency:
 

Included in emergency/disaster supplies kit
 

How to transport
 

How to store
 

How you will ensure medical personnel are aware of needs:
 

Forms you will provide
 

Who will get copies of forms? Emergency transport? Doctors? Other caregivers?
 

Special procedures for when child/staff member is transported for medical care (identify who will 

accompany the child/staff member, any accommodations required during transport, etc.) 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 72 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Child Information Sheet Page 1 of 3
 

Child’s Information Date: 

First Name: Last Name: 

Address: 

Allergies/Special Instructions/Comforting Techniques/Favorite Foods, Toys/Things to Do: 

Parent/Guardian Information (1): 

First Name: Last Name: 

Relationship to Child:
 

Address (if different from child):
 

Home Phone: Cell Phone:
 

Home Email: 

Work Phone: 

Work Email: 

Work Name and Address: 

Supervisor Name: Supervisor Phone: 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 73 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Child Information Sheet 

Child Information Sheet Page 2 of 3 

Parent/Guardian Information (2): 

First Name: Last Name: 

Relationship to Child: 

Address (if different from child): 

Home Phone: Cell Phone: 

Home Email: 

Work Phone: 

Work Email: 

Work Name and Address: 

Supervisor Name: Supervisor Phone: 

Emergency Contact Information (1): 

First Name: Last Name: 

Relationship to Child: 

Address: 

Home Phone: Cell Phone: 

Work Phone: 

Emergency Contact Information (2): 

First Name: Last Name: 

Relationship to Child: 

Address: 

Home Phone: Cell Phone: 

Work Phone: 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Child Information Sheet 

Child Information Sheet Page 3 of 3
 

Emergency Contact Information (3): 

First Name: Last Name: 

Relationship to Child: 

Address: 

Home Phone: Cell Phone: 

Work Phone: 

People with Permission to Pick Up Child 

(always request identification): 

First Name: Last Name: 

First Name: Last Name: 

First Name: Last Name: 

Doctor Information: 

Pediatrician Name: 

Pediatrician Address: 

Pediatrician Phone: 

Additional Medial Information: 

Other 

Other instructions, concerns, restrictions: 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Kit Checklist for Evacuation
 

Item 

Emergency contact information 

for children and staff members 

Attendance sheet 

First aid kit 

Medications 

Dry or canned infant formula 

Water 

Granola/energy bars (remember to 

take into consideration children’s food 

allergies when packing the go kits) 

Books, games, toys 

Safety blankets 

Cell phone 

Money (cash or traveler’s checks) 

Compass 

Matches in waterproof container 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Evacuation Checklist 

It is recommended that you consult with your HSAC, Policy Council, and/or your community 

or regional emergency management agency as to whether or not each step should be included 

in your plan. 

Planning Steps Comments 

1. Plan activities that can be integrated into 

the daily routine that will help children 

understand evacuation. 

2. Develop relationships with local mental 

health service providers that will facilitate 

their response to your request for mental 

health support for children and staff 

following an evacuation. 

3. Assign a staff person to the role of 

incident commander. An incident 

commander is a person designated to 

be responsible for the overall incident 

management procedures of the program 

and the person who determines whether 

to implement incident management 

protocols (e.g., evacuation, shelter-in 

place).31 

4. Place evacuation route maps in each 

room in a clearly visible spot. 

5. Identify primary and secondary 

evacuation sites and provide families with 

information on their location 

6. Assign individual(s) the responsibility 

of contacting families following an 

evacuation and informing them of 

relocation site. 

7. Plan procedures for evacuating infants 

and children with access and functional 

needs. 

31U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA. Sample School Emergency Operations Plan. March 2011. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Evacuation Checklist 

Planning Steps Comments 

8. Prepare “Grab-and Go” kits for each 

room. 

9. Prepare medication checklist that define: 

the child, the prescription, the equipment 

and the method of transporting. 

10. Plan a method of transporting and storing 

medications that require refrigeration. 

11. Maintain transportation vehicles: 

gasoline, oil, tires, charged battery, 

insurance/insurance card. 

12. Assign staff members roles and tasks for 

an evacuation. 

13. Train staff members on attendance 

procedures during an evacuation. 

14. Involve the Health Services Advisory 

Committee (HSAC) in planning and 

communication with the local health care 

community and providers. 

Identify additional planning steps for 

evacuation. 

Practice Steps Comments 

1. Inform staff members/children that it is 

time for a practice drill. Have children 

and staff members quickly walk to 

transportation vehicle(s). 

Additional practice steps 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Evacuation Checklist 

Recovery Steps Comments 

1. Secure mental health services for children 

and staff members as needed. 

2. Follow recovery steps for specific hazards 

(e.g., landslides, flood). 

Additional recovery steps 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Treatment Permission Form 

This form authorizes emergency treatment for a child.
 

I, Give/Do Not Give permission to
 

(name of childcare provider) 

to have my child, 

(child’s name) 

treated by a medical professional. 

Parent/Guardian Signature: 

Date: 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Contact Form 

Post this sheet in obvious locations in case of an emergency. 

Name Phone Email 

Medical Emergency 

(911) 

Police (911) 

Fire (911) 

Rescue (911) 

Hospital 

Poison Control 

(800) 222-1222 

Local Emergency 

Management 

Electric Company 

Gas Company 

Water Company 

Waste Disposal 

Insurance Provider 

Emergency Information Sources
 

Local Television Channel: Phone: Contact: Stations 

Channel: Phone: Contact: 

Local Radio 

Stations Channel: Phone: Contact:

Channel: Phone: Contact: 

National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration Frequency: 

Weather Station For your area go to: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/listcov.htm 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Organizational Roles and Responsibilities is 


Emergency Preparedness
 

Adapted from Bright Horizons Family 

Solutions, Ready to Respond Emergency 

Preparedness Plan for Early Care and 

Education Centers, www.brighthorizons.com 

List all staff members’ names, addresses, and 

phone numbers (regular and emergency), as 

well as position in the program. 

For each person, list who the person reports to, 

in order of responsibility. Be able to show at a 

glance who is in charge if the primary contact is 

unable to respond. 

List roles and responsibilities in an emergency. 

Consider overlaps in case someone is unable to 

fulfill his or her role. 

Answer these questions: 

•	 Who will provide first aid? 

•	 Who will carry medications? 

•	 Who will carry the first aid kit? 

•	 Who will bring the emergency information 

on each child? 

•	 Who will call 911? 

•	 Who will carry the cell phone? 

•	 Who will carry the emergency/disaster 

supplies kits? 

•	 Which groups of children will go with which 

staff members? 

•	 Who will insure that everyone is out of the 

building? 

•	 Who will seal off high risk areas? 

•	 Who declares an emergency? 

•	 Who makes the evacuation or shelter-in place 

call? 

•	 Who will record notes about the emergency? 

•	 Who will turn off the utilities? 

•	 Who will implement the recovery 

procedures? 

Share the list of responsibilities with staff 

members. Discuss everyone’s roles so that 

all staff members are prepared during an 

emergency. Everyone should know his/her 

primary and back-up responsibilities. 

Teachers should: 

•	 Lock the classroom doors unless an 

evacuation order is given 

•	 Calm the children 

•	 Account for all of the children and staff 

members that were in their room today 

•	 Take attendance at required times 

•	 Move the children and classroom staff 

members to the evacuation vehicles 

•	 Take the “Grab-and-Go Kit” (see the 

appendices for a Grab-and-Go kit checklist) 

Maintain an “In and Out” list at all times; do 

not put children, staff members, visitors, or 

emergency personnel at risk by not knowing 

three things: 

•	 Who is in the building? 

•	 When did they arrive? 

• When did they leave? 

Keep emergency information with the 

attendance list. Make sure you have permission 

for emergency medical treatment and are aware 

of any special requirements or medications for 

children and staff members. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org	 PAGE 82 OF 93 
Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Reunification Procedures
 

Use this list to identify roles, responsibilities, and processes for reuniting children with parents/
 

guardians if you have to evacuate your childcare site.
 

Specify how each of the following procedures will be implemented.
 

Notify parents/guardians of evacuation sites (identify who will tell parents/guardians, how they 


will be notified, etc.):
 

• In advance of evacuation
 

• When evacuating
 

Children can be picked up by:
 

• Parents/guardians designated on contact sheets
 

• Others identified on contact sheets
 

Designated staff member will account for the children under their care and have a record of who 

was picked up by whom (identify the staff member, process, documents, etc.) 

Special procedures for when a child is transported for medical care (identify who will accompany 

the child, where they will go, how you will account for them, etc.) 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Shelter-In Place:
 

Things to Keep in Mind
 

Consult with your planning team, HSAC, Policy Council, and community emergency management 

authorities, and ACF Regional Emergency Management Specialists to determine your program’s 

shelter-in place procedures. 

Preparedness29 

Procedures for preparedness may include the following: 

•	 Select interior room(s) with the fewest windows or vents. The rooms should have adequate space 

for everyone to be able to sit comfortably. Classrooms may be used if there are no windows or if 

the windows are sealed and cannot be opened 

•	 Large storage closets, utility rooms, meeting rooms and even a gymnasium without exterior 

windows also work well 

•	 Make sure you have a least one telephone (tested to ensure it can call out) and determine the 

communication system you will use during shelter-in place 

•	 Determine a way to make announcements and communicate program-wide 

•	 Identify the responsibilities for staff members while sheltering-in place 

Response30 

Activate your shelter-in place procedures this may include the following: 

•	 Close the center or building: Use procedures identified in your emergency preparedness plan to 

bring children and staff members to predetermined locations 

•	 Close and lock all windows 

•	 Close window shades, blinds, or curtains if you are told there is a danger of explosion 

•	 Shut off the gas, electric, water and other utilities 

•	 Gather essential disaster supplies 

•	 Call emergency contacts 

•	 Bring everyone into the room(s) and shut and lock door 

•	 Seal all cracks around the doors and any vents into the room with duck tape or plastic sheeting 

(depending on the emergency or disaster) 

•	 Write down the names of everyone in the room and call your center’s designated emergency 

contact to report who is in the room 

•	 Listen for an announcement from local officials via portable battery- or hand-assisted radio and 

stay where you are until you are told it is safe to leave 

29Adapted from the UCLA’s Head Start Disaster Preparedness Workbook 

30American Red Cross 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Emergency Kit Checklist for Shelter-In Place 

Use this checklist to identify items you need Quantity 

for your emergency/disaster supplies kits Needed 

(supply to last

Item last 72 hours) 

Emergency contact information for children 

Disposable Diapers 

Water (1 gallon per person per day—3 gallons per person total) 

Food (do not include any items that any of the children have allergies to) 

Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA weather radio with 

tone alert and extra batteries for both 

Flashlight and batteries (in each room) 

Non-electric can opener 

Medications 

Disposable cups, bowls, plates, utensils 

Paper towels, toilet paper 

Hand sanitizer 

Blankets 

Whistle to signal for help 

Dust mask 

Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation 

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities 

Cell phone with charger, inverter, or solar charger 

Clothing for each person (jacket, pants, shirt, shoes, hat, gloves) 

Blanket or sleeping bag for each person 

Rain gear 

Fire extinguisher 

Matches in waterproof container 

Signal flare 

Paper and pencil 

Household chlorine bleach (keep in a secure location, 

away from children’s access) 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Shelter-In Place & Lockdown
 

Use this worksheet to assess the risk level that you may need to shelter-in place or lockdown your 

program. Then consider the planning, practice and recovery steps and use the comments section to 

record your advisory board’s recommendations as to whether or not each step should be included in 

your plan. 

Shelter-in Place 

“Shelter-in place” means to take immediate shelter where you are—at home, work, school, or in 

between. It may also mean “seal the room.” In other words, take steps to prevent outside air from 

coming in. This is because local authorities may instruct you to “shelter-in place” if chemical or 

radiological contaminants are released into the environment. It is important to listen to TV or radio 

to understand whether the authorities wish you to merely remain indoors or to take additional steps 

to protect yourself and your family. https://faq.fema.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/578/related/1 

Planning Steps Comments 

1. Plan activities that can be integrated 

into the daily routine that will help 

children understand shelter-in place and 

lockdown. 

2. Develop relationships with local mental 

health service providers that will facilitate 

their response to a request for mental 

health support for children and staff 

members following a shelter-in place or 

lockdown event. 

3. Assign a staff person to the role of 

incident commander. 

4. Place “Designated Safe Room” maps in 

each room in a clearly visible spot. 

5. Assign individual(s) the responsibility of 

contacting families following a shelter-in 

place” and “lockdown” event. 

6. Plan procedures for supporting infants 

and children with access, functional and 

other needs during “shelter-in place” and 

“lockdown”. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Shelter-In Place & Lockdown 

Planning Steps Comments 

7. Prepare “shelter-in place” and “lockdown” 

disaster supplies kits for each designated 

“shelter-in place” and “lockdown” rooms. 

8. Plan to give parents “shelter-in place and 

lockdown” information upon entry into 

the program. 

9. Plan to notify parents of all “shelter-in 

place and lockdown” drills and events. 

10. Plan to provide written materials to 

parents to help children understand and 

cope. 

11. Plan for staff members’ roles during a 

shelter-in place event 

Incident Commander: 

a. Incident commander assembles 

emergency/disaster response team 

members. 

b. Incident commander declares a “shelterin place” emergency/disaster. 

c. Closes all windows and doors. 

d. Shuts off heating, ventilation, & air 

conditioning (HVAC) system. 

e. Communicates emergency information 

to teachers via methods identified in the 

center’s emergency/disaster plan. 

Teachers: 

a. Direct children to move quickly indoors 

and to their room. 

b. Take attendance to be sure that all 

children are accounted for. 

c. Locate any children in their class who are 

not accounted for. 

d. Seal room by placing plastic sheeting 

over windows, doors, vents and taping 

outside edge seams to prevent outside 

contaminants from coming into the room. 

e. Check emergency/disaster supplies. 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Shelter-In Place & Lockdown 

Planning Steps Comments 

Teachers continued 

f. Distribute food and water as needed. 

g. Assist children to transportation vehicles 


when all-clear is given.
 

Lockdown 

A different type of “shelter-in place” is “lockdown,” which is used in situations involving 

dangerous intruders or other incidents that may result in harm to persons inside of the Head 

Start building. 

Planning Steps Comments 

1. Plan for staff member’s roles during a 


“lockdown” event
 

Incident Commander: 

a. Assembles emergency response team 


members.
 

b. Initiates “lockdown” procedures. 

c. Follows “intruder” or other appropriate 


threat worksheet to try to diffuse the 


threat. 


d. Closes and locks all windows and doors 


once the intruder or threat is outside. 


e. Communicates emergency information 


to teachers via methods identified in the 


center’s emergency plan.
 

f. Gives the all-clear signal. (Consider using 


a verification code to authenticate the 


all-clear signal. This is a specific word or 


phrase that is used to indicate that the 


incident commander is not being forced 


to give the all-clear signal.)
 

Teachers 

a. Direct children to move quickly indoors 


and to their room.
 

b. Take attendance to be sure that all 


children are accounted for.
 

c. Close curtains, shutters or blinds and 


turn off the lights.
 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Shelter-In Place & Lockdown 

Planning Steps Comments 

Teachers continued

d. Instruct children to move away from 

windows and doors and to get down on 

the floor. 

e. Check emergency supplies. 

f. Initiate quiet activities to help children 

remain calm. 

g. Distribute food and water as needed. 

h. Assist children to transportation vehicles 

when “all-clear” is given. 

Additional planning steps for “shelter-in 

place” and “lockdown” 

Practice Steps Comments 

1. Have children and staff quickly walk 

to their designated shelter-in place and 

lockdown” rooms. 

Additional practice steps 

Recovery Steps Comments 

1. Secure mental health services for children 

and staff members as needed 

Additional plannning steps for recovery for 

your program 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Site Closing Procedures
 

Use this list to identify roles, responsibilities, and processes for when you need to close your 

childcare site. 

Specify how each of the following procedures will be implemented. 

The decision to close the facility will be made by 

• 

• 

• 

The decision will be based on 


(weather forecasts, school closings, road reports, etc.)
 

Time by which the decision to close will be made 


(night before, early morning before first child arrives)
 

Parents will be notified of the closing by
 

• Text message to parents/guardians 

• Television (identify station[s]) 

• Radio (identify station[s]) 

• Decide if email and/or social media can be used as an option 

• Phone calls to each parent (telephone trees are helpful if your facility serves many families) 

• Who will call? 

• How will you note the call was made? 

• What is the process if you cannot contact a parent? 

The following message will be placed on the facility phone line with closing information 

List additional procedures for your site below 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Nonstructural Safety Checklist 

Name(s): Date: 

Program/Location: 

Whether through fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, or hurricane, natural disasters occur everywhere. 

And everywhere they occur, they do unnecessary damage as a result of hazards that could have 

been eliminated. This checklist identifies the common nonstructural hazards for child care centers. 

Use the list to prepare a work order for your center. 

Equipment and Furnishings Yes No 

Are appliances, cabinets, and shelves attached to the wall or braced by being 

anchored together? 

Are heavy or sharp items stored on shelves with ledge barriers? 

Are blocks and heavy objects stored on the lowest shelves? 

Are television sets, fish bowls, and similar items restrained so they will 

not slide off? 

Are pictures and other wall hangings attached to the wall with wire and 

screw-eye picture hangers? 

Are chemicals, such as bleach and cleaners, securely stored 

so they cannot spill? 

Are cribs located away from the tops of stairs and other places where they 

could roll or where heavy objects could fall on them? 

Are tall cribs anchored against tipping over? 

Are heavy furnishings or pieces of equipment latched or tethered 

to the wall when not in use? 

Are fire extinguishers secured so they cannot fall from wall brackets? 

Are tall refrigerators attached to the wall or otherwise secured from tipping? 

Overhead Elements Yes No 

Are suspended ceilings secured to structural framing? 

Are suspended light fixtures attached to structural framing with safety cables? 

Do fluorescent lights have transparent sleeves to keep broken glass pieces 

from scattering? 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Nonstructural Safety Checklist 

Overhead Elements Yes No 

Are battery-powered emergency lights secured to walls with shelves or brackets? 

Are blackboards or projection screens securely mounted to the wall or hung 

safely from the ceiling? 

Mechanical Equipment Yes No 

Is the water heater secured to wall studs (not just gypsum board) at the top 

and bottom? 

Does the water heater have flexible connectors, rather than rigid connectors? 

Do large sheet-metal heating/ventilating/air conditioning ducts have diagonal 

bracing above or enough vertical support straps to keep any section from falling 

if the ductwork separates into sections? 

Partitions Yes No 

Are lightweight panels, rather than shelving units or other tall furnishings, 

used to divide rooms? 

Are heavy or tall room dividers braced by interconnecting them in L-shapes 

or zigzags? 

Are partitions, which extend only to the suspended ceiling, supported by the 

structure above, especially if they are used to anchor heavy objects in the room? 

Windows Yes No 

Are large windowpanes safety-glazed? 

Are transoms safety-glazed? 

Do partitions have plastic or safety glass panels, rather than ordinary glass? 

In hurricane-prone areas, have impact-resistant windows and doors been 

installed? Are there storm shutters (made out of plywood or metal) on hand 

to cover large windows and doors? 

School readiness begins with health! 

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Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual 

Grab-and-Go Kit Checklist 

Item 

Emergency contact form 

Classroom attendance form 

Facility floor plan with evacuation route outlined 

Health and medication information on all 

classroom children and staff members 

Diapers and toilet paper 

Sanitary wipes and hand sanitizer 

Gloves 

Bottled water 

Children’s extra clothes 

First aid kit 

Flashlight 

Batteries 

Cell phone 

Paper towels 

Light snacks such as granola bars 

Additional Items 

Each classroom must have a grab-and-go kit and the 

classroom staff are responsible for checking the kit 

regularly to insure that the supplies are all there. 

School readiness begins with health! 

Head Start National Center on Health Toll-free phone: 888-227-5125 E-mail: NCHinfo@aap.org PAGE 93 OF 93