With winter right around the corner and temperatures dropping fast, this is the perfect time to prepare for a possible winter emergency. Many people love the idea of a few inches of fluffy snow falling from the sky, but all too quickly, that few inches can morph into the winter storm of the year. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to ensure that you and your loved ones will be ready for and safe if severe weather strikes.

As the end of the year nears, CCAoA’s Emergency Preparedness Team has been reflecting on the disasters that struck in 2017. Top-of-mind, of course, are the hurricanes—Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Our team worked directly with CCR&Rs affected by the storms and the providers they serve. This is the second of three blogs on lessons learned and our team’s advice for CCR&Rs about the critical things they need to do before, during, and after a disaster. Here's what you can do before a disaster.

As the end of the year nears, CCAoA’s Emergency Preparedness Team has been reflecting on the disasters that struck in 2017. Top-of-mind, of course, are the hurricanes—Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Our team worked directly with CCR&Rs affected by the storms and the providers they serve. This is the first of three blogs on lessons learned and our team’s advice for CCR&Rs about the critical things they need to do before, during, and after a disaster.

For your CCR&R to be prepared for an emergency, you need to take the following steps long before a disaster:

Ensuring you, your loved ones, and your little ones are prepared for any and all emergencies is of paramount importance. September is National Preparedness Month and CCAoA is encouraging parents, child care providers and child care resource and referral staff to take the Preparedness Pledge.

With a variety of new policies on the verge of implementation, one can’t help but wonder…What’s next for my family and me?

Arlington, VA – Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Head Start Association (NHSA), National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA), National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), Teachstone, and the Afterschool Alliance would like to congratulate Joy Phelps and the staff at the Hampton University Child Development Center in Hampton, Virginia. They have been named Provider of the Month for June 2017.