18. Emergency Preparedness Drills

Question 1

The operator must develop a written emergency preparedness plan that includes, at a minimum, procedures to:

Answer 1

• Follow during the listed emergencies: evacuation (fire), relocation, shelter-in-place (inclement weather), and lockdown
• Reunite families with their children on-site and off-site
• Notify families and provide updates about the emergency
• Meet the needs of all children, including those with special needs or chronic medical conditions, during and following an emergency

Question 2

Emergency Preparedness Drills

Answer 2

~ during the fire drill or actual emergency, a current attendance record must accompany staff out of the building to account for all children in care
~ daily attendance rosters must be used to account for children once gathered in a safe space
~ a written record of emergency drills is required to be maintained one year
~ the written emergency drill record must show the type of drill, date conducted, number of children and staff in attendance, and time taken for all individuals to complete the drill
~ no more than three fire drills may be substituted with emergency drills within a 12-month period

Question 3

As part of the emergency drills required, at a minimum, the following emergency drills must be conducted once per year and may be used instead of a fire drill:

Answer 3

• One lockdown drill
• One shelter-in-place (inclement weather) drill

Question 4

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Answer 4

If a facility chooses to operate using an alternate power source, such as a generator, it must be permanently installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and comply with the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code.