Share

Child Care Summer Safety

As summer rapidly approaches, many of our child care clients will be welcoming the warmer weather with outdoor activities and field trips. These outdoor and remote learning opportunities are valuable learning experiences, but they can bring a new set of risks and issues. To combat such risks, SEC encourages planning and consideration of key summer issues to increase the safety of all summer activities:

Field Trip Safety:

Centers and schools should take some basic precautions when taking children on field trips. Accountability is crucial and staff should ensure they take continued accountability of the children while offsite. Staff should ensure they maintain visibility of all children they are responsible for and immediately report to a group leader any lapse in accountability. The center should prepare for potential evacuation from a field trip site by identifying potential relocation sites in the area. Additionally, staff should ensure they have phone numbers for school administrators, other staff on the trip, chaperones, and local emergency services, and anyone else they might find relevant. Staff should be sure that they have easy access to important forms for the day, including medical and transportation authorizations, as well as any necessary emergency medications such as allergy medicines. Staff should carry an emergency kit with them during a field trip that contains some basic medical supplies, water, a phone charger etc.

Severe Weather:

The weather risks associated with outdoor activities dramatically increase in the spring and summer. These risks include lightning strikes, severe storms, tornados, and wildfire events. It is crucial for centers and schools to understand the risks in their area and have the ability to monitor weather situations in real time. Monitoring via a NOAA weather radio or via local TV is crucial and should occur on a continuing basis when severe weather is possible. When conditions exist for severe weather, centers and schools should limit outside activities and minimize any vehicular transportation. When planning a field trip centers should check the weather at their intended location, as it might be different than the centers’ weather.  Centers and schools should consider obtaining and training staff on the use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) equipped with both adult and child sized pads. If lightning is seen teachers and administrators should discontinue outside activities and move everyone inside until 30 minutes pass without any lightning. There are several applications that schools and centers can use to detect lightning and severe weather in their area. WeatherBug is a lightning detection application and Dark Sky is a highly rated weather application that provides detailed local forecasting.

If a group finds themselves out in the open during severe weather, they should seek shelter. Prior to departure for a field trip, the center or school should establish a plan for a temporary shelter near the location and possibly along the route (depending on the distance). Suitable shelters could be fire stations, police stations, hospitals or possibly churches. If the weather is lightning related, a bus is a suitable location for the shelter. If a church or school should find themselves outside or on a bus and in the direct line of a tornado, they should take shelter in a ditch or low area. The children should lay flat on the ground and cover their heads.

Heat:

Many of the medical related emergencies that occur during the summer months are heat related. Children are particularly susceptible to heat-related emergencies and all schools and centers should be equipped to recognize the warning signs and take proactive steps to prevent a heat-related emergency. There are several heat-related medical emergencies that can affect children. These can range from heat cramps, which can be minor, to heat stroke, which is a life-threatening condition. Since children may not be able to clearly describe their symptoms, caregivers must rely on prevention methods to ensure children remain safe in the heat. First, children must hydrate regularly as this is the best prevention method. Second, during peak heat hours outside activities should be limited to brief periods of activity followed by rest and cooling. Staff should monitor children for signs of heat-related emergencies. These include headaches, red-flushed skin, dizziness, weakness, confusion, nausea, and lack of perspiration in hot weather. Staff should take immediate action when they suspect a child is experiencing a heat emergency by gradually cooling the child and providing water if they are conscious. If the child loses consciousness or if the symptoms are severe, emergency services should be contacted immediately.

No schools expect to be involved in an emergency or critical incident, but all schools should be prepared. Consistent preparation is necessary to ensure that in the unfortunate event that an emergency should occur, schools are equipped with the information and supplies necessary to promptly and properly respond.

For more information on preparation and planning contact Secure Education Consultants at (616) 528-4071 or via email at [email protected].

Follow Us

More Articles

Share This