FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts
Sarah Thompson: sthompson@savechildren.org; 202-640-6931
Ajla Grozdanic: agrozdanic@savechildren.org; 202-640-6709
SAVE THE CHILDREN LAUNCHES CHILD CARE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TRAINING
Washington, D.C. December 13, 2012 – Just one month after Superstorm Sandy devastated the East
Coast—the memories of loss and destruction still fresh on the nation’s mind—Save the Children is launching
a new Child Care Emergency Preparedness Training to help ensure that all child care providers are
equipped with the skills and the resources needed to protect children when disasters strike.
“Children are always the most vulnerable in an emergency situation and Save the Children wants to
make sure all child care facilities are prepared in times of crisis,” said Jeanne-Aimée De Marrais, Save the
Children’s Domestic Emergency Advisor, who is leading Save the Children’s response to Hurricane
Sandy.
Each day in the U.S., more than 11 million children under age 5 are cared for outside the home,
separated from their families. A striking 90 percent of these children live in an area at risk of natural
disaster and manmade disasters can happen anywhere, at any time, leaving their safety in the hands of
child care providers.
Created by Save the Children’s nationally recognized emergency experts, the Child Care Emergency
Preparedness Training is designed to help child care providers develop and implement emergency plans
that cater to the specific needs of children. The course, which can be taken online or in-person, teaches
participants best practices in evacuation, relocation and family re-unification and provides guidance for
practical applications to improve overall emergency protocol.
This crucial training is available to child care facility owners, administrators and staff for child care
programs of all affiliations and sizes, including center-based programs, family providers, service
organizations, sports programs, faith-based programs, and before- and after-school and summer
programs. Upon completion of the course, caregivers will be able to more easily identify hazards and
risks at their child care site; create a written plan that addresses the emergency needs of their program;
and communicate, practice and update their emergency plan on a regular basis.
Fueling the urgency for preparedness improvements, a recent report from Save the Children finds that
an astounding 31 states do not require all regulated child care facilities to meet at least one of three
basic emergency preparedness standards, potentially leaving thousands of our most vulnerable citizens
unprotected during disasters.
Be safe. Don’t wait. Get the training you need. Save the Children’s Child Care Emergency Preparedness
Training is now available on the U.S. Center for Child Development and Resiliency:
www.savethechildren.org/USCenter.
About Save the Children
Save the Children works to break the cycle of poverty and improve the lives of children by ensuring they have the
resources they need—access to quality education, healthy foods, and opportunities to grow and develop in a
nurturing environment. When disasters strike, like hurricanes and wildfires, Save the Children is among the first on
the ground, ensuring the needs of children are being met.
In the United States, Save the Children’s early childhood education, literacy, physical activity and nutrition, and
emergency response programs reached more than 185,000 children last year alone. For more information, visit
www.savethechildren.org/usa.
About the U.S. Center for Child Development and Resiliency
A service of Save the Children, the U.S. Center for Child Development and Resiliency endeavors to equip
professionals, volunteers and families with the skills and resources needed to give all children a better chance for a
brighter future. Visit www.savethechildren.org/USCenter.