Emergency Preparedness and Response

EPR Rules

Emergency preparedness and response (EPR) rules went into effect July 1, 2015. The rules are designed to assist licensed child care programs to be adequately prepared to respond to the needs of children and others in the event of disasters and emergencies. The new rules require:
Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills completed quarterly in addition to monthly fire drills. One staff person / FCCH operator must *complete the Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care* training Licensed facilities are required to have an EPR Plan. The Plan must include*: written procedures for accounting for children and adults how children will be transported communication plan how the program will meet the nutritional and health needs of the children relocation and reunification plan emergency telephone numbers evacuation diagrams date of last revision of the Plan needs of children who are non-mobile and with special needs Location of the Ready to Go File* Trained staff must review the EPR Plan annually or when information changes to ensure it is current Trained staff must review EPR Plan with staff during orientation and annually Substitutes and volunteers in ratio and additional caregivers who are present must be informed of the Plan and its location. Emergency evacuation plan is no longer an enhanced policy option. Emergency Preparedness and Response Rules: What is Required? Monitoring EPR in Child Care
EPR in Child Care Training
Timeframes Existing programs One designated staff person must have completed the EPR in Child Care training by July 1, 2017. New programs One designated staff person must complete the EPR in Child Care training within one year of the effective date of the initial license. If the EPR trained staff person leaves employment, the facility must ensure that another staff person completes the required training within four months of the vacancy. In-Person Training* To find an Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) in Child Care training, contact an EPR trainer in your community. Training Locations The Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) in Child Care training will be offered statewide and regularly over the next two years. To find a training go to the EPR Calendar on the CCRR Council website. You will see the link on the top right corner of the home page. You will also find the trainings on the websites of the CCR&R agency or Partnership for Children nearest you. Lastly, you may contact one of the qualified EPR trainers. Information for Current and Prospective EPR Trainers Current EPR Trainers For technical assistance and on-going support regarding emergency preparedness and response in child care, contact the North Carolina Child Care Health and Safety Resource Centeror 1-800-367-2229. Prospective EPR in Child Care Trainers The NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center offers the EPR Online Train-the-Trainer Course several times each year. there is no charge for the course. Those interested and who meet the eligibility criteria should complete the online application to take the course. All EPR trainers are required to offer EPR training to child care providers in their communities.
Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan Template
NC Emergency Management offered to develop a standard EPR template that would be used statewide by all licensed child care programs. The NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center provided content for this template along with the Division, so that it aligns with the newEPR in Child Care training and the EPR rules. The Child Care Rules state that programs must use the EPR template provided by the Division. Programs will access the EPR template from the NC Risk Management Portal, which houses emergency planning tools for a variety of hazards. Accessing the EPR Template To access the EPR Template, the trained staff must have an NCID. You may register for an NCID at the following link: https://ncid.nc.gov/ If you need help getting an NCID, here are detailed instructions for obtaining an NCID. Once you get an NCID, you will access the EPR template on the NC Risk Management Portal website. Use the access instructions once you are on the NC Risk Management Portal website. EPR Forms Emergency Drill Log - Centers Emergency Drill Log - Family Child Care Homes Ready-to-Go File Checklist Ready-to-Go Kit Checklist Staff EPR Responsibilities Checklist Weather and Natural Disaster Facility Preparation Checklist for Child Care Drill Checklists Fire Drill Checklist Lockdown Drill Checklist Off-Site Evacuation by Vehicle Checklist Off-Site Evacuation by Walking Checklist Resources For questions related to EPR Plan content, contact your EPR in Child Care trainer, Child Care Licensing Consultant or the Division of Child Development and Early Education at 1-800-859-0829. For questions related to the EPR in Child Care training/trainers, contact the NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center: 1-800-367-2229 For any other EPR in child care questions, email dcdee.epr@dhhs.nc.gov How to Transfer an EPR Plan to a New NCID Emergency Preparedness, NC Health and Safety Bulletin EPR Plan Preparation Checklist Emergency Preparedness and Response Resource List EPR Questions and Answers