Page 40 - Creating a Community of Resiliency

Preparedness and Response Readiness: Providers
“The problem was that we didn’t have updated information from the parents. It was a scary situation because we needed to contact the parents. I didn’t know if the children had other friends or relatives that needed to be contacted. We had to rethink how we would get the information from the parents.”
 English-speaking, center-based provider
“It was very frustrating to contact the parents. It was like here is another phone number and the kids are like ‘where’s my mommy and daddy.’ I learned and I would ask them, especially the parents I know would change their number regularly, to update their file. Now I ask them on a monthly basis if the emergency contact is the same.”
 English-speaking, center-based provider
Awareness of Risk
All four groups indicated that they felt they are at risk for earthquakes. Three groups indicated they are at risk of fires. While most groups discussed additional risks—including lockdowns, hate crimes, bomb threats, and potential terrorist attacks (one facility is near an airport)—the Spanish-speaking FCC provider group discussed considerably more risks.
Extent of Preparedness in Early Care and Education Settings
While providers in all four groups indicated that they feel prepared for earthquakes, several providers within the groups also indicated that they will not know how prepared they truly are for the earthquake until it happens. Many indicated that they have physically prepared by developing plans and gathering supplies such as food and water. However, what occurs during the earthquake and in the aftermath—such as having to evacuate and leave the supplies behind, or having the supplies stolen—will be unknown until it happens. Furthermore, they expressed that they may not know what psychological state they or their staff will be in during the situation.
Earthquakes
“I asked the parents to bring a bag with clothes. I take pictures often so we can have the most recent picture and a book with picture of family and nonperishable food. I have everything in one big bucket. I am working in a different set of information cards to keep outside because one day I had the visit of a CCRC worker and we had an earthquake so everybody took a couple kids and we forgot to get the set of cards and kit that we keep inside the house.”
 Spanish-speaking, family child care provider
“The church has disaster preparedness, but the preschool is better prepared. We have backpack with an out of state contact number, photo, and these are broken down by classroom and stored. We took a community response training through the L.A. Fire Department.”
 English-speaking, center-based provider
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