Child Care Centres

Child Care

The Brisbane CBD Emergency Plan has been developed to establish a framework for responding to a major emergency within the Brisbane CBD.

This document is provided for CBD child care centre managers, staff, parents, and caregivers of children at these facilities.

It is recognised that child care centres require additional preparation to ensure proper plans are in place for an emergency.  The management of children during an emergency is extremely difficult and this may be coupled with responding to the needs of concerned parents.

For managers and staff this advice should be read with the 'Information for Building Managers and Fire Wardens’.  This document provides more detail on actions under the Brisbane CBD Emergency Plan.  Particular attention should be paid to the responsibilities of managers and the stages involved in a mass-evacuation.

Preparations

Managers of CBD child care centres should:

• ensure their building has a Fire and Evacuation Plan which complies with AS3745 and the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990;
• these plans are adapted to the Brisbane CBD Emergency Plan;
• evacuation plans include advice detailing how information regarding an evacuation will be disseminated from the Chief Fire Warden to occupants of the building;
• that these plans are regularly exercised as required by law;
• have in place and practice a ‘lock down’ plan.  The lock down plan should incorporate the principles of shelter-in-place and be capable of being sustained for an extended period;
• maintain an up to date register of parent/caregiver contact details;
• have in place a plan for providing advice to parents/caregivers should an extended lock down be required (be aware that mobile telephone network overload is a possibility); and
• provide advice to parents/caregivers regarding the plans in place and likely actions during an emergency.

Child Care Centre Staff

Staff should:

• familiarise themselves with the material provided detailing their responsibilities;
• ensure contact details for the child care centre are updated to contacting child care centres; and
• familiarise themselves with the Emergency Support Sites and possible

Evacuation Route/s.

Staff should comply with directions from emergency services.  When a direction is made to evacuate, staff are to marshal children from the building, to the Assembly Area and then follow the directions of emergency services.

A brochure developed for child care centres is available through the resource link on this web site.