Virginia Law

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.

C. Emergency evacuation and shelter-in-place procedures or maps shall be posted in a location conspicuous to staff and children on each floor of each building.

D. The center shall implement a monthly practice evacuation drill.

E. Shelter in place procedures shall be practiced a minimum of twice per year.

F. Lockdown procedures shall be practiced at least annually.

G. Documentation shall be maintained of emergency evacuation, shelter-in-place, and lockdown drills that includes:

1. Identity of the person conducting the drill;

2. The date and time of the drill;

3. The method used for notification of the drill;

4. The number of staff participating;

5. The number of children participating;

6. Any special conditions simulated;

7. The time it took to complete the drill;

8. Problems encountered, if any; and

9. For emergency evacuation drills only, weather conditions.

H. The center shall maintain a record of the dates of the practice drills for one year. For centers offering multiple shifts, the simulated drills shall be divided evenly among the various shifts.

I. A 911 or local dial number for police, fire and emergency medical services and the number of the regional poison control center shall be posted in a visible place at each telephone.

J. Each camp location shall have an emergency preparedness plan and warning system.

K. The center shall prepare a document containing local emergency contact information, potential shelters, hospitals, evacuation routes, etc., that pertain to each site frequently visited or of routes frequently driven by center staff for center business such as field trips or pick up or drop off of children to or from schools etc. This document must be kept in vehicles that centers use to transport children to and from the center.

L. Parents shall be informed of the center's emergency preparedness plan.

M. Based on local authorities and documented normal ambulance operation, if an ambulance service is not readily accessible within 10 to 15 minutes, other transportation shall be available for use in case of emergency.

N. The center or other appropriate official shall notify the parent immediately if a child is lost, requires emergency medical treatment, or sustains a serious injury.

O. The center shall notify the parent by the end of the day of any known minor injuries.

P. The center shall maintain a written record of children's serious and minor injuries in which entries are made the day of occurrence. The record shall include the following:

1. Date and time of injury;

2. Name of injured child;

3. Type and circumstance of the injury;

4. Staff present and treatment;

5. Date and time when parents were notified;

6. Any future action to prevent recurrence of the injury;

7. Staff and parent signatures or two staff signatures; and

8. Documentation on how parent was notified.

Q. A parent shall be notified immediately of any confirmed or suspected allergic reaction and the ingestion of or contact with any food in the written care plan required in 8VAC20-780-60 A 8 even if a reaction did not occur.