Emergency Management

Safety of children and staff is always the highest priority for GSA Child Care Centers. Whether you are in tornado alley or hurricane lane, it is critical you know your risks, plan and are prepared to respond to emergencies.

Security and emergency preparedness at child care centers, work, home, and in the community is everyone's responsibility. This requires coordinated prevention, protection, response, and recovery activities that span the preparedness spectrum.

GSA Child Care has developed a Provider Emergency Preparedness Toolbox [PDF - 358 KB] and Let's Be Ready Tips to help providers develop and evaluate their emergency preparedness plans. These tools facilitate a deeper look and understanding of the nature of potential emergencies, and what actions a child care center must consider if emergencies do occur. Life safety, communication, efficiency, and roles and responsibilities are critical components to enhancing the security and preparedness of all occupants- big and little.

Keep it simple

Make your plans easily available for reference

Practice, practice, practice

There are several apps available to warn of danger and help keep you safe. FEMA’s official app for disaster information provides an interactive checklist for emergency kits, a section to plan emergency meeting locations, and a map with FEMA Disaster Recovery Center locations. Also, the American Red Cross has several free apps including one that monitors storm conditions and provides preparedness and step-by-step instructions on what to do before, during, and after a hurricane. Other apps include First Aid and Severe Weather.