Emergency Management and Evacuation Policy

Transcription

1 Emergency Management and Evacuation Policy 1. SCOPE This policy applies to all children, staff, volunteers, families and anyone else who is at the Centre at the time an emergency evacuation is deemed necessary. This policy should be read with reference to the Centre s Emergency Management Plan (EMP) adopted in Dec 2010 in accordance with Department of Education & Early Childhood Development (DEECD) guidelines. Every facility in Victoria is required to have an EMP as part of its normal better practice operations. The purpose of an EMP is to: Reduce the likelihood of emergencies and critical incidents; Minimise the impact of these events on children, staff, volunteers and visitors; Facilitate the return of the workplace to normal operations as soon as possible; and Provide staff with the tools that, if faced with an emergency situation, will enable them to cope. The EMP references the four stages identified by experts as typical of Emergency Management commonly referred to as PPRR framework: Prevention Preparedness Response Recovery 2. POLICY There may be a number of emergencies other than fire in the kindergarten that could necessitate an evacuation, e.g. a) fire in neighbouring premises b) toxic fumes from a chemical spill c) bomb threat d) intruders / hostage taking / siege e) medical f) gas escape from a damaged pipe g) motor vehicle accident (persons trapped) h) criminal incidents i) severe storms and flooding All the above situations must be considered as possible threats to the Centre. Staff members should be aware of their responsibilities to lessen the impact of any of the above on the children by being familiar with the directives issued under statutory rules and regulations as well as these evacuation procedures. Page 1

2 3. PROCEDURE The following procedures were designed in consultation with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade to meet with operational emergency evacuation requirements and with reference to the DEECD Emergency Management Guidelines. Recommended Steps in case of Emergency 1. Senior person on site takes charge and decides who does what. ie: Activate your Incident Management Plan (IMP); 3. Inform Emergency Services of the nature of the emergency (i.e. There is smoke in the building ); 5. If the decision to evacuate is made raise the alarm immediately by blowing a whistle. The whistle will be sounded until it is confirmed that everybody has heard it and commenced evacuation. 6. Children will stay with Assistant whilst Certified Supervisor will check children s toilet and bathroom area kitchen office 7. Using all available staff/volunteers calmly move/carry/walk the children out of the building; to your pre-determined outdoor assembly area if this is the evacuation option; 8. Take the children s attendance list, staff roster and your Emergency Kit/First Aid kit; 11. Focus on safety and well-being of staff and children; & 12. Wait for Emergency Services to arrive or for further information. In case of FIRE: The location of the fire and wind direction will dictate exit routes and assembly areas to be used. After the children have been cleared from the immediate danger area members of staff may, if safe to do so, attack the fire with the appropriate extinguisher Page 2

3 OFF-site Evacuation Plan 1 Assembly Area 1: ALBERT PARK LIBRARY (Cnr Montague St & Dundas Pl Albert Park) Initial Emergency Response Steps 1. Senior person on site takes charge and decides who does what (activate your Incident Management Program); 3. Inform Emergency Services of the nature of the emergency (i.e. There is smoke in the building ); If the decision to evacuate is made: 5. Raise the alarm immediately by blowing a whistle. The whistle will be sounded until it is confirmed that everybody has heard it and commenced evacuation. 6. Children will stay with Assistant whilst Director will check - children s toilet and bathroom area - kitchen - office 7. Using all available staff/volunteers calmly move/carry/walk the children out of the building via the nearest safe exit to the pre-determined outdoor ASSEMBLY AREA 1 (ie: ALBERT PARK LIBRARY CNR MONTAGUE STREET AND DUNDAS PLACE) 8. Take the children s attendance list (daily attendance book located on the signing in table - is to be picked up by the staff member or parent nearest to its location so a roll call can be carried out at the assembly area) staff roster and the Emergency Kit/First Aid kit; 11. Focus on safety and well-being of staff and children; 12. Following the safe evacuation of all children, staff and families, the representatives from either the 3 year old or 4 year old groups / all groups will be contacted to telephone all families regarding the evacuation. 13. Wait for Emergency Services to arrive or for further information. Alternate Exits to Assembly Areas: If using the REAR EXIT near sand pit to access rear laneway: The lane leads onto Madden Street. Assemble in grounds of St Silas Church then moving on to the ALBERT PARK LIBRARY. If using FRONT EXIT to Dundas Place: Move direct to the ALBERT PARK LIBRARY. Page 3

4 OFF-site Evacuation Plan 2 Assembly Area 2: ST SILAS CHURCH (99 Bridport St Albert Park) e.g. Internal fire, Gas leak, Chemical spill, Bush fire, Bomb threat, Flood. Provide your facility s procedure to be followed in the event of an off-site evacuation (alternate assembly area) Initial Emergency Response Steps 1. Senior person on site takes charge and decides who does what (activate your ICS); 3. Inform Emergency Services of the nature of the emergency (i.e. There is smoke in the building ); If the decision to evacuate is made: 5. Raise the alarm immediately by blowing a whistle. The whistle will be sounded until it is confirmed that everybody has heard it and commenced evacuation. 6. Children will stay with Assistant whilst Director will check children s toilet and bathroom area kitchen office 7. Using all available staff/volunteers calmly move/carry/walk the children out of the building via the nearest safe exit to the pre-determined outdoor ASSEMBLY AREA 2 (ie: ST SILAS CHURCH) 8. Take the children s attendance list (daily attendance book located on the signing in table - is to be picked up by the staff member or parent nearest to its location so a roll call can be carried out at the assembly area) staff roster and the Emergency Kit/First Aid kit; 11. Focus on safety and well-being of staff and children; 12. Following the safe evacuation of all children, staff and families, the representatives from either the 3 year old or 4 year old groups / all groups will be contacted to telephone all families regarding the evacuation. 13. Wait for Emergency Services to arrive or for further information. Alternate Exits to Assembly Areas: If using the REAR EXIT near sand pit to access rear laneway: The lane leads onto Madden Street. Move directly to ST SILAS CHURCH. If using FRONT EXIT to Dundas Place: Page 4 Assemble at Albert Park Library then moving on to ST SILAS CHURCH.

5 4. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES Teaching staff will implement trial evacuations on a regular basis, as identified in the EMP, using alternate exit routes and assembly areas. During these exercises, children will only be taken to either front door or back gate as written permission from families is required to take them out of the Centre. Trials are to be carried out every 2 months as identified in the EMP. The Committee of Management will be responsible for ensuring that Staff and Families are aware of this policy and adhere to these procedures. 5. IMPLEMENTATION RESOURCES The Albert Park Pre-School Emergency Management Plan (EMP). The Albert Park Pre-School Emergency Evacuation Site Plan (permanently displayed in Foyer). Refer to list of emergency phone numbers as identified in the EMP. 6. RELEVANT LEGISLATION Children s Services Regulations 2009 (Vic) o PART 6 HEALTH AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN Division 2 Safety Division 5 First Aid and Illness Division 6 Serious Incidents Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) 7. REVIEW This policy is to be reviewed annually as part of the annual review of this document. This policy is also to be reviewed after a major emergency/incident event. This policy is to be reviewed with reference to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) publication entitled DEECD Emergency Management Guidelines. Page 5