Emergency Personnel Child Care Plan

In December 2003, an after action report was completed by Emergency Management Services on actions taken by Emergency Medical Services, Medical Services and Human Services during Hurricane Isabel.  In the report it was identified that “Child care for members of the disaster ready team became a frequently addressed issue.  During destructive weather most childcare providers closed leaving workers without appropriate childcare.”  Emergency Medical Services presented the issue to the Onslow County Partnership for Children to determine how and if the issue could be addressed.  Through research it has been determined that this issue exists in every community with a solution not having been identified.

Agencies involved in the process include:

• Onslow County of Emergency Medical Services ( EMS )
• Onslow County Partnership for Children (OCPC)
• Child Care Resource and Referral Services (CCR&R)
• Onslow County Administration
• Onslow County Personnel Office
• Jacksonville/Onslow Chamber of Commerce Project CARE
• Family Child Care Homes
• Community Child Protection Team

Generally, child care facilities follow the closing schedule for the Onslow County School system; therefore essential personnel cannot depend on traditional child care to meet their needs when they are operationalized for services needed in the community during a disaster.  Parents are then left to find whomever can care for their child, which creates a traumatic situation for a child to be left in an unknown environment, a traumatic event for a parent to leave a child with someone they don’t know as a caregiver to their child, and a potentially harmful situation to leave a child with an unlicensed provider who may not be trained in even basic skills needed for child care, such as CPR/First Aid.

When the agencies and programs met it was agreed that family child care homes (FCCH) could offer the best situation for families as:

• The child would be in a family environment during a disaster.
• Staffing issues are not present in a FCCH as the family lives on site (as opposed to a child care center).
• The essential personnel could meet with the provider in advance to determine of the provider is whom they wanted to leave their child with and the child could visit in advance of placement.
• It is also hoped that the child could stay within its own community, meaning there would be other children they attend school with, go to church with, etc.
• FCCH provides a child with a developmentally appropriate environment where they are appropriately cared for, including proper nutrition.

Emergency Child Care Plan Participation Agreement

As a participant in the Emergency Operations Center Emergency Child Care Plan for Essential Personnel, the FCCH meets the following criteria:

1. The FCCH operates in a safe and solid structure.
2. The FCCH does not operate in a flood prone location.
3. The FCCH will maintain a 3, 4, or 5 star rating.
4. The FCCH is approved to operate for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts.
5. The FCCH has successfully completed the Community Emergency Response Training.

Additionally, participating FCCH’s agree to the following:

1. The FCCH agrees to accept children with special needs.
2. The FCCH will be responsible for maintaining compliance with all NC child care rules and regulations as outlined by the Division of Child Development.
3. The FCCH will be responsible for receiving all payments for services from families.
4. The FCCH is willing during operation of the EOC to accept odd drop off and pick-up times as required by the schedules of essential personnel.
5. The FCCH is willing to operate for several days during the operational stages of the EOC.
6. If the FCCH closes, moves out of Onslow county, or otherwise decides to terminate participation in the plan, the FCCH will return all unconsumed materials in the disaster kit to the Onslow County Partnership for Children.
7. The FCCH is willing to participate in practice runs of the plan.
8. The FCCH is willing to attend meetings (1-2 per year) for plan participants.
9. The FCCH is willing to maintain communication with plan coordinators during the operation of the EOC.

CCR&R recommends that the FCCH be approved to provide transportation (Initials signify acknowledgement of recommendation).

Before Disaster Strikes

• Essential personnel will request a referral for child care from CCR&R.
• CCR&R will provide a referral based on the family’s needs from the plan participants.
• Essential personnel will contact a provider regarding the enrollment process.  CCR&R recommends that families visit programs before enrolling their child(ren).
• Essential personnel who choose a program will “register” their child(ren) with the program.  They will need to complete the typical information contained in program files (application, medical form, immunization history, signed permission forms, etc.).
• CCR&R recommends that child(ren) visit programs to become familiar with the provider and the environment.  This familiarity will serve to ease stress levels for the children during an actual emergency.
• CCR&R recommends that providers periodically contact essential personnel who have registered in their program.  Essential personnel who move away or change positions may not remember to contact providers to let them  that they would not need child care during an emergency.

When the Emergency Operations Center is in operation

• Plan coordinators (staff of the Onslow County Partnership for Children) will staff the EOC and will maintain communications with plan participants throughout the event.  Web EOC will be utilized to help maintain communications.
• Plan coordinators will contact participants to learn of the plans of participating providers for the event.  (Will they be in town, will they be able to participate during the event, etc.)
• Essential personnel who have not previously made arrangements for emergency child care will be able to receive a referral to approved plan participating providers.
• Plan coordinators and/or essential personnel will be in contact with providers about their enrollment capacity and any needs they encounter.  If the need for emergency child care becomes great, coordinators will contact the Division of Child Development to notify them of the need.

After stand-down of the EOC

• Plan coordinators will contact providers for information to include in the plan and/or the county’s after action report(s).