Daycare Emergency Procedures Template

[CENTER NAME] is committed to the safety of every child and staff member in our care. This emergency procedures policy establishes clear, practiced protocols for responding to fire, severe weather, medical emergencies, lockdown situations, and other urgent events. All staff are trained on these procedures at hire and annually thereafter, and during regular drills throughout the year.

Emergency contact information and authorization forms for every enrolled child are kept on file and accessible to staff at all times. A copy of this policy is provided to families at enrollment and posted in the center.

Upon activation of a fire alarm or detection of smoke or fire:

1. Staff immediately direct children to their designated evacuation route. Routes are posted in every classroom and common area.
2. Each classroom teacher takes the classroom attendance sheet and emergency contact binder. No child is left behind.
3. Staff assist children with mobility needs using established evacuation supports (evacuation chairs, staff carry procedures).
4. All children and staff exit to the designated outdoor assembly point: [ASSEMBLY POINT LOCATION].
5. The director or designee calls 911 from outside the building.
6. Attendance is taken immediately at the assembly point and compared against the classroom roster.
7. No one re-enters the building until the fire department gives an all-clear.
8. Parents are notified of any evacuation by phone and/or center communication app.

[CENTER NAME] conducts fire drills monthly. Drill dates, times, and completion records are logged in the Emergency Drill Log maintained by the director. Evacuation routes are reviewed whenever the center layout changes.

When a tornado watch or warning is issued for [COUNTY/AREA], or when staff observe threatening weather conditions:

1. Staff direct all children to the designated severe weather shelter area: [SHELTER LOCATION — interior room, lowest floor, away from windows].
2. Children sit against interior walls with heads down and covered. Staff cover and shield children during active tornado warnings.
3. The director or designee monitors official weather alerts (NOAA Weather Radio or local emergency management alerts). Cellular devices are used as a backup.
4. Outdoor activities are suspended at the first sign of severe weather — not when a warning is issued. Staff do not wait for a formal warning to move children inside.
5. Shelter remains in place until the all-clear is issued by emergency management or the director confirms the threat has passed.
6. Parents are notified after the all-clear that a shelter-in-place was conducted.

[CENTER NAME] conducts severe weather drills at least twice per year. Drill records are logged with date, time, and duration.

A lockdown is initiated when there is an immediate threat of violence inside or immediately outside the facility, or at the direction of law enforcement:

1. The director announces lockdown using the designated signal or phrase: [SIGNAL/PHRASE].
2. All staff bring children inside immediately if outdoors. Exterior doors are locked. No one enters or exits.
3. Classroom doors are locked. Windows are covered. Children and staff move away from doors and windows to an interior wall or floor position out of sight lines.
4. Lights are turned off. Children are kept calm and quiet. Staff do not open the door for anyone until the all-clear is received from law enforcement.
5. The director or designee calls 911 when it is safe to do so and provides the center address and nature of the threat.
6. Parent notification is sent only after law enforcement has cleared the scene, in coordination with responding officers.

Lockdown drills are conducted in accordance with [STATE] requirements and local law enforcement guidance. Drill language and practice is age-appropriate and trauma-informed.

For any medical emergency, staff should act in this order: ensure the child's immediate safety, call 911 for serious emergencies, provide first aid within their certification level, and notify the director and parents.

Call 911 immediately for:

• Unconsciousness or unresponsiveness
• Stopped breathing or severe difficulty breathing
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) — use EpiPen if prescribed and call 911 simultaneously
• Seizure lasting more than five minutes, or a first seizure
• Suspected poisoning or ingestion of a harmful substance
• Head injury with loss of consciousness, vomiting, or confusion
• Severe bleeding that does not stop with direct pressure
• Any situation where staff are uncertain about the child's safety

At least one staff member with current pediatric first aid and CPR certification must be present at all times. First aid supplies are located at [LOCATION]. An AED is located at [LOCATION] and staff are trained in its use.

If a child cannot be located during attendance check or at any point during the care day:

1. The lead staff member immediately notifies the director and initiates a search of the building, all outdoor areas, vehicles, and storage rooms.
2. All exits are secured to the extent possible. Staff account for all other children and ensure they are supervised before redirecting attention to the search.
3. If the child is not located within five minutes, the director calls 911 and reports a missing child. Do not delay to avoid embarrassment — early reporting leads to better outcomes.
4. Parents are called immediately after 911.
5. Staff do not speak to media. All communications go through the director.
6. A full written incident report is completed after the child is located.

In the event of a power outage, staff should:

• Remain calm and reassure children. Use flashlights stored in each classroom emergency kit.
• Contact the utility company and report the outage. Estimated restoration time will guide next steps.
• If restoration is not expected within two hours, notify families and begin dismissal in an orderly manner.
• Maintain food safety standards: do not open refrigerators or freezers unnecessarily. Food that has been at unsafe temperatures for more than two hours must be discarded.
• If backup lighting is required for emergency egress, ensure exit paths remain clear and illuminated.

Emergency contact information for every enrolled child is maintained in [CENTER NAME]'s records system and in printed form in the emergency binder kept in the director's office. The emergency binder is taken by the director during any evacuation.

Staff attempt to reach the primary contact first, then alternate contacts in order. If no contact can be reached, the child remains in staff supervision. Staff do not release a child to any person not listed on the authorized pickup form, even during an emergency, unless directed by law enforcement.

Families are required to update emergency contact information at enrollment and whenever contact information changes. Outdated contact information can delay emergency notifications.

If an emergency requires children to be evacuated to an alternate location, [CENTER NAME] will:

1. Transport or escort all children to the designated alternate reunification site: [ALTERNATE SITE ADDRESS].
2. Notify all families by phone and/or center communication app of the alternate site address as soon as it is safe to do so.
3. Maintain a sign-out log at the reunification site. Each child is released only after staff verify the identity of the authorized pickup person (photo ID required).
4. Children subject to custody orders or no-contact orders are held until the appropriate authorized guardian arrives, regardless of the emergency circumstances.
5. The director maintains a record of child release times and the identity of each person who received a child.

[CENTER NAME] conducts the following emergency drills on a regular schedule:

• Fire evacuation: monthly (12 drills per year), at varying times of day
• Severe weather / tornado shelter-in-place: at least twice per year
• Lockdown: at least once per year, in coordination with local law enforcement recommendations
• Missing child: at least once per year, as a staff tabletop exercise

All drills are logged with date, time, type, number of participants, duration, and any issues noted. Logs are maintained for at least three years and provided to licensing inspectors on request.