Emergency procedures for the UAB Early Head Start Program: Playroom and Offices

• Evacuation: In the case of an emergency that requires evacuation from the playroom and staff offices, staff and families are instructed to go to Lot 77. This lot is the parking lot adjacent to our building on 19th Street. At that location, program sign in sheets will be used to make sure all families and their children have left the building. Parents will be responsible for evacuating their children. Staff will be responsible for smooth evacuation and for directing families to the appropriate lot.
  
  
• Program closures: UAB Early Head Start Program closures will follow those of UAB, or as otherwise determined by the Director of the UAB Early Head Start Program.
  
  
• Transportation: Should evacuation from the UAB premises become necessary when families are present, those without their own transportation will be provided assistance via taxi services.
  
  
• Shelter-In-Place: Should the need occur to find shelter inside the building, staff and families will be instructed to go to the 1st floor clinic reception area in the CH20 building. Parents will be responsible for their children. Staff will be responsible for smooth evacuation and for directing families to the appropriate room.
  
  
• Drills: The UAB Early Head Start Program staff will periodically practice both evacuation and shelter-in-place drills during socialization activities so that both families and staff members will become familiar and comfortable with the procedures of each.
  
  
• Is everyone here? To ensure that all families, children, and staff are accounted for, all program participants are asked to sign in on arriving at all UAB Early Head Start Program activities. The Sign-In sheet will be taken from the playroom by that program's coordinator as the staff, families and children evacuate. When reaching the meeting location, everyone's presence will be verified.

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Emergency procedures for the UAB Early Head Start Program: Walker County REACH Center

• Evacuation: In the case of an emergency that requires evacuation from the Center, there are two on-site designated meeting areas.

1. The picnic table in the lawn area at the front of the building
facing Oak Hill Road.

2. The cleared grass area at the back corner of the parking lot
toward the rear of the building.

The determination of the location to go to will depend on which area is
determined to be the farthest away from what is occurring in the
building, and therefore the safest location. Should off-site evacuation
become necessary, the children and staff will go across Oak Hill Road
to the cemetery.

• Program closure: UAB Early Head Start Program REACH Center closures will follow those of Walker County Schools, or as otherwise determined by the Director of the UAB Early Head Start Program.
  
  
• Shelter-In-Place: Should the need occur to find shelter inside the center, staff and children will go to the Severe Weather/Safety Room in the REACH Center.
  
  
• Drills: The UAB Early Head Start Program REACH staff will periodically practice both evacuation and shelter-in-place drills with the children.
  
  
• Is everyone here? To ensure that all children are accounted for, the parent/guardian dropping the child off each day is asked to record a contact number as they sign their child in. A teacher will take the Sign-In Binder from the classroom as the teachers and children evacuate. When reaching the meeting location, everyone's presence will be verified.
  As an additional safety measure, family emergency contact numbers are stored in the teacher's personal cell phones.

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See the attached file for our comprehensive Program Emergency Preparedness Plan