KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Ten local child care centers were recognized for raising their level of preparedness to respond to disasters at an award ceremony this morning. Public Health – Seattle & King County and the City of Bellevue Fire Department honored the recipients for developing emergency response plans, getting trained and conducting drills and exercises as part of the Excellence Award Program provided by the two agencies.
“Our local child care providers are well versed in the day-to-day caring for children, but many are in need of more training and preparation for responding to a disaster,” said Dorothy Teeter, Interim Director and Health Officer of Public Health – Seattle & King County. “We’re pleased to honor this first class of graduates into increased disaster readiness, and we look forward to partnering with many more.”
The first of its kind in the country, the goal of the Excellence Award program is to maximize the health and safety of children in child care and their caregivers before, during, and after a disaster of any kind. The program, which includes training and technical assistance, is a partnership between Public Health’s Child Care Health Program and the City of Bellevue Fire Department.
There are over 124,000 children in nearly 2000 child care establishments in King County. Almost half the children under 13 in King County are in licensed child care programs.
"Parents and childcare providers need to work together to ensure that children are safe and cared for, no matter how long it takes parents to arrive,” said JoAnn Jordan, Interim Emergency Preparedness Manager for the City of Bellevue. “Through this program, we're pleased to support local child care facilities and families to be better prepared for emergencies."
To receive the award, all ten local child care centers demonstrated their preparedness through:
- Completing training provided by the Bellevue Fire Department and Public Health’s Child Care Health Program
- Having a disaster plan
- Stocking emergency supplies on site
- Giving training for staff, children, and parents
- Conducting drills and exercises throughout the year
- Providing a safe environment for staff and children through hazard mitigation
"The safety of our children and staff is our top concern, and our participation in this emergency preparedness program reflects this focus,” said Lynda Jensen, Assistant Director, Early Learning, Family, & Childcare Center at Bellevue Community College. “The trainings we've done and the plans we have in place have prepared us well to respond to disasters, and we're committed to sustaining our preparedness into the months and years ahead."
The ten child care facilities honored include:
- Creative Child, Seattle
- The Discovery Center, Kirkland
- Enatai Child Care, Bellevue
- Early Learning, Family & Childcare Center at Bellevue Community College, Bellevue
- Imagination Station, Snoqualmie
- Salvation Army Little People, Seattle
- Little Anchor, Seattle
- Pinehurst Child Care Center, Seattle
- Teeter Tots Montessori, Kenmore
- UW Children’s Center at West Campus, Seattle
For more information on the Public Health’s Child Care Health Program, visit www.metrokc.gov/health/childcare
For more information on the City of
Bellevue Fire Department Emergency Preparedness Division Program
, visit www.cityofbellevue.org/page.asp?view=1832
Public Health – Seattle & King County is among the largest metropolitan health departments in the country, providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services that achieve and sustain safer and healthier communities for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County . Answering the needs of an increasingly diverse population, Public Health - Seattle & King County touches people's lives every day through health promotion and prevention activities, disease surveillance, health care, outreach and referral services, environmental health services, emergency medical care, jail health services, and readiness and response to public health emergencies.
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