SECTION 746.5202. What must my emergency preparedness plan include?

Your emergency preparedness plan must include written procedures for:

(1) Evacuation, relocation, and sheltering/lock-down of children including:

(A) The first responsibility of staff in an emergency evacuation or relocation is to move the children to a designated safe area or alternate shelter known to all employees, caregivers, parents, and volunteers;

(B) How children will be evacuated or relocated to the designated safe area or alternate shelter, including specific procedures for evacuating and relocating children who are under 24 months of age, who have limited mobility, or who otherwise may need assistance in an emergency, such as children who have mental, visual, or hearing impairments;

(C) The staff responsibility in a sheltering/lock-down emergency for the orderly movement of children to a designated location within the center where children should gather;

(D) An emergency evacuation and relocation diagram as outlined in §746.5207 of this title (relating to Must I have an emergency evacuation and relocation diagram?);

(E) Name and address of the alternate shelter away from the center you will use as needed; and

(F) How children in attendance at the time of the emergency will be accounted for at the designated safe area or alternate shelter.

(2) Communication, including:

(A) The emergency telephone number that is on file with us; and

(B) How you will communicate with local authorities (such as fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, health department), parents and us; and

(3) How your staff will evacuate and relocate with the essential documentation including:

(A) Parent and emergency contact telephone numbers for each child in care;

(B) Authorization for emergency care for each child in care; and

(C) The child tracking system information for children in care;

(4) How your staff will continue to care for the children until each child has been released; and

(5) How you will reunify the children with their parents as the evacuation, relocation, or sheltering/lock-down is lifted.

Source Note: The provisions of this §746.5202 adopted to be effective December 1, 2010, 35 TexReg 10238; amended to be effective June 1, 2014, 39 TexReg 3720; amended to be effective September 1, 2016, 41 TexReg 6240; transferred effective March 9, 2018, as published in the Texas Register February 16, 2018, 43 TexReg 909