Maegan Loktoff’s “aha moment” came while attending a virtual presentation provided by Child Care Aware® of America’s (CCAoA) Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery team. Maegan, Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance’s (ECCLA) Executive Director, reached out to CCAoA, sharing, “Disaster readiness is a topic near and dear to my heart and something our members have been asking for!” Recent wildfires underscored the critical need for disaster planning coordination.   

Spring flooding is a current reality in much of the Midwest and other parts of the country.  While those living in the northern tier of the country may be wishing for a quick spring warm up and the disappearance of snow, extreme snow melt, which occurs when snow melts too rapidly over a short period of time, can be destructive and deadly, causing floods, landslides, and dam failures.   

2020 was a challenging year for everyone. Not only did the nation deal with the challenges, fears and losses associated with a global pandemic, but many individuals across the country were faced with an added hurdle of natural disasters during an already stressful and difficult time.  

You may have seen reports of potential violence across the country leading up to the Presidential inauguration on January 20. We have heard from child care providers concerned about their program safety, the safety of their families and staff, and whether they should remain open for the next several days.