Virginia Administrative Code › Title 8 - EDUCATION › Agency 20 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Chapter 780 - STANDARDS FOR LICENSED CHILD DAY CENTERS › Part VII - Special care provisions and emergencies › Section 8VAC20-780-550 - Procedures for emergencies

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. The
				  center shall have a written emergency preparedness plan that addresses staff
				  responsibility and facility readiness with respect to emergency evacuation and
				  relocation, shelter-in-place, and lockdown. The plan, which shall be developed
				  in consultation with local or state authorities, shall include the most likely
				  to occur emergency scenario or scenarios, including fire, severe storms, loss
				  of utilities, natural disaster, chemical spills, intruder, violence at or near
				  the center, terrorism specific to the locality, and other situations, including
				  facility damage that requires evacuation, lockdown, or
				  shelter-in-place.
B. The emergency
				  preparedness plan shall contain procedural components for:
1. Sounding of alarms, such as intruder,
				  evacuation, lockdown, and shelter-in-place for tornado or chemical
				  hazards;
2. Emergency communication
				  to include:
a. Establishment of center
				  emergency officer and back-up officer to include 24-hour contact telephone
				  number for each;
b. Notification of
				  local authorities, such as fire and rescue, law enforcement, emergency medical
				  services, poison control, health department, and parents and local media;
				  and
c. Availability and primary use
				  of communication tools;
3. Evacuation to include:
a. Assembly points, methods to account for
				  all children at the assembly point and relocation site, primary and secondary
				  means of egress, and complete evacuation of the buildings;
b. Securing of essential documents, including
				  attendance records, parent contact information, emergency contact information,
				  and information on allergies or food intolerances;
c. Methods to ensure any health care needs to
				  include medications and care plans; emergency contact information for staff;
				  and supplies are taken to the assembly point or relocation site;
d. Method of communication with parents and
				  emergency responders;
e.
				  Accommodations or special requirements for infants, toddlers, and children with
				  special needs to ensure their safety during evacuation or relocation;
				  and
f. Procedures to reunite
				  children with a parent or authorized person designated by the parent to pick up
				  the child;
4.
				  Shelter-in-place to include:
a. Scenario
				  applicability, such as tornado or chemical spill, inside assembly points,
				  methods to account for all children at the safe locations, and primary and
				  secondary means of access and egress;
b. Securing of essential documents, including
				  attendance records, parent contact information, emergency contact information,
				  and information on allergies;
c.
				  Methods to ensure any health care needs to include medications and care plans;
				  emergency contact information for staff; and supplies are taken to the assembly
				  point or relocation site;
d. Method
				  of communication with parents and emergency responders;
e. Accommodations or special requirements for
				  infants, toddlers, and children with special needs to ensure their safety
				  during shelter-in-place; and
f.
				  Procedures to reunite children with a parent or authorized person designated by
				  the parent to pick up the child;
5. Lockdown, to include:
a. Facility containment procedures, such as
				  closing of fire doors or other barriers, scenario applicability, assembly
				  points, and methods to account for all children at the safe
				  locations;
b. Method of
				  communication with parents and emergency responders;
c. Accommodations or special requirements for
				  infants, toddlers, and children with special needs to ensure their safety
				  during lockdown; and
d. Procedures
				  to reunite children with a parent or authorized person designated by the parent
				  to pick up the child;
6.
				  Continuity of operations to ensure that essential functions are maintained
				  during an emergency;
7. Staff
				  training requirement, drill frequency, and plan review and update;
				  and
8. Other special procedures
				  developed with local authorities.