This document discusses the importance of emergency preparedness for facilities that care for young children. It notes that crisis situations can take many forms, including both natural disasters like fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes or floods, as well as human-generated dangers such as terrorist attacks or school shootings. Early childhood professionals must plan advance for both large-scale dangers and emergencies involving individuals to ensure they can respond quickly and effectively if crisis strikes. The document instructs the reader to draft emergency preparedness plans for two different disaster scenarios - one natural and one human-generated - that could threaten an early childhood environment in their local area. It provides resources to assist with identifying risks and appropriate planning steps.

1. Crisis situations can take many forms and occur at any time. A
disaster, whether human-generated or natural, may threaten a
facility where young children are present. Depending on where
the facility is located, natural disasters range from fires,
earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, to floods. Unfortunately,
these are not the only kinds of emergencies adults who work
with young children must plan for. The terrorist attack of 9/11
and news of various school shootings have underscored the
critical importance of emergency preparedness of all kinds.
Although years may go by without a crisis, when a critical
situation presents itself, adults must be able to respond quickly
and effectively. Advance planning is essential.
Early childhood professionals should prepare for large-scale
dangers, such as ecological disasters or terrorist attacks, the
same way they prepare for emergencies involving individuals:
by first identifying the kind of crisis that may occur, analyzing
the risks it poses, and determining steps to prevent and cope
with the dangerous situation.
This week, you will continue to work on your course project by
creating Section 2, "Emergency Preparedness: Natural and
Human-Generated Disasters." You will select and investigate a
crisis situation caused by two different disasters and draft a
plan for dealing with each one.
Think of two specific dangers or disaster scenarios that could
threaten an early childhood environment in the area where you
live. Review and/or familiarize yourself with relevant
information and guidelines using the following resources:
Read through relevant sections of the American Red Cross (
http://www.redcross.org/
) and FEMA (
http://www.fema.gov/
) Web sites.
Consult the "
Day Care Facilities Emergency Planning Guide

2. ."
Refer to the "Reality Check" sections on pages 199–201
("Creating an Emergency Natural Disaster Plan for Your Early
Childhood Education Environment") and pages 203–204
("Human-Generated Disasters") of your course text, and identify
the appropriate planning steps for the disasters you selected.
For this section of your course project, complete the following:
Describe each of the disaster scenarios you have chosen (such
as a hurricane that has quickly developed in your area) and a
real or hypothetical early childhood setting (such as a Head
Start program housed on a university campus near the coast).
What are the main dangers posed by these situations? Who is at
risk?
Explain why you and your colleagues should be prepared. What
are the consequences of not being prepared?
Summarize the appropriate steps you would take to develop a
plan in advance for this disaster and how you would deal with it
if it occurs.
Be sure to:
Explain how you would assess the risks.
Identify potential complications created by this disaster besides
the main disaster/danger itself.
Describe any other steps you and/or your early childhood
program should take to be prepared to handle this kind of crisis.
What kinds of materials or documentation (e.g., first aid
supplies, family emergency contact information, and so on)
would be necessary and/or helpful?
Explain how you might involve the families of the children in
your care.