Whenever there are emergencies, it is your responsibility as the owner of a daycare center to set your own rules and procedures when it comes to evacuating trends and the like. You have to consistently practice these procedures with your staff and of course the children enrolled in your daycare center. This could especially be fun and knowledgeable if you know what you ought to do.
One of the many things you need to take into consideration is the pathways in your home. Know where all the possible and safest exits are located and check if they are all clear from unnecessary things and the like. Can the windows in your home be opened easily and determine what they are actually made of.
It would be a great thing if you can ask help from your local fire department to inspect your home and what you can do to improve your situation. Several fire departments out there have a campaign to distribute stickers that are to be placed on the windows where children sleep and stay frequently.
A fire fighter from your local fire station could also teach your child how to deal with fire. They could probably do a demonstration that could help teach and inform the children what to do and how to react in case of emergencies.
Smoke alarms should typically be installed in apt areas in your home. You have to make sure that they still work so it would be best for you to inspect them every month.
Keep a fire extinguisher handy and learn how to use it.
You also have to practice an escape drill where all the children should participate. You also have to sit down with the children and educate them that when it comes to real fire and emergencies, they can never go back and run back for their favourite toys and the like.
If in cases wherein you need to evacuate your home, you have to be able to ask help from your neighbors to shelter the children and allow you entry into their home so you could make important calls and the like. Remember, it is your ultimate obligation to keep all the children safe and out of your home instantly.
FIRE RESPONSE STEPS
* Stay calm.
* Evacuate immediately if there is any personal danger.
* Follow any instructions from emergency agency personnel regarding relocation or evacuation.
* Close as many other doors between you and fire as possible.
* Walk down nearest stairway. Do not use elevators.
* Help relocate employees from adjoining areas if there is danger from spreading fire or smoke.
* Proceed directly to any designated relocation or assembly area.
* If smoke or heat is present:
* Stay low, following the wall toward an exit.
* Take frequent short breaths through your nose.
* If possible, hold a cloth in front of your nose (do not wet the cloth; it could cause a steam burn).
* If trained and if safe:
* Suppress the fire using the proper fire extinguisher.
For more:
How to start a daycare business by StartADaycare.org
