Evacuation management is an important consideration for any ECE Centre or Early Childcare service. If an emergency does arise you want to get everyone out of the danger area as quickly and as safely as possible. It is the responsibility of ECE centres and childcare providers to have a plan for how they might evacuate everyone in their care and employment in the event of an emergency. That’s why it is vital that every centre must have an evacuation management plan in place. Evacuation management for ECE centres involves careful preparation to ensure the safety of children, staff, and visitors in the event of an emergency or evacuation situation. The specific procedures may vary depending on your location and individual circumstances, but the key components usually involve: ● Developing a comprehensive plan for various types of emergencies - such as fire, earthquake, floods, severe weather or other potential hazards. ● Assigning roles and responsibilities to staff members, including someone to be in charge if an evacuation needs to occur. ● Identifying primary and secondary evacuation routes from your facility and clearly marking them with signage. ● Ensuring all staff and children are familiar with the evacuation routes by holding regular practice drills. ● Knowing how you are going to communicate both internally and externally in an emergency. ● Considering the additional needs of younger children or those with special needs. ● Having safety supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children in care. ● Complying with regulations set out by the Ministry and Education and Civil Defence. ● Regularly reviewing your plan and supplies to make sure they remain current. Getting Everyone Out One of the top concerns for evacuating an ECE Centre is the number of vulnerable individuals to get out quickly; meaning babies and small children that are too young to evacuate themselves safely. Cot type systems on wheels do not safely harness young children in seats and with small wheels they are difficult to maneuver. So, you need to have a solid plan in place for how you are going to move these children quickly, efficiently and most of all, safely. Options like a 6-seat stroller can help you do this. With the ability to safely harness up to six babies and toddlers, you can get a lot of vulnerable people out of a building in one trip. It also provides a good visual guide for older children and gives a tangible structure for them to walk next to during the evacuation process. With the ratios differing for supervision for under and over two year olds you need to give thought to a stroller that can adapt to be able to secure up to six children quickly, depending on the children’s needs that are in your care. Thought also needs to be given to having essential supplies being able to be pre-stored on the stroller, so storage space is a key requirement. Features to consider ● Strollers that offer flexibility such as recliner seats for young infants ● Strollers that can support both infants and/or toddlers if required ● Safety and comfort such as 5-point harnesses and safety bar frames ● Easy storage (not too bulky) Your Evacuation Management Plan By Patricia Court About the author Patricia Court is the director of KinderPod, who manufacture one of the strongest and most versatile double strollers in the world, the Arohanui, which seats from one to six young children. To find out more simply head over to our website www.kinderpod. com to browse all the different seating arrangements available, or get in touch with Patricia, ph 0273693487. A written emergency plan is required for all early childhood services. This template, https://www.education.govt. nz/early-childhood/application-forms/ emergency-management/ supports you to include evacuation procedures for your services’ premises, which apply in a variety of emergency situations. The Early Childhood Council has an extensive arrange of policy and procedure templates to support your emergency plan under their Centre Support/Health & Safety for ECC members, https://bit.ly/3siNkLY December 2023 { 32 }
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