The content of this article was updated with the latest information on 31 January 2024 for the purpose of this compliance focus.

Stephanie Selmes helped open Kin Early Learning in 2020. She had been involved in bushfire evacuations at her previous service and understood firsthand the importance of an effective emergency management plan. However, what Stephanie didn’t expect was how quickly an emergency action plan would need to be enacted in her own service.

In early 2021, Kin Early Learning’s emergency action plans, practices and drills were put into action in response to a real-life emergency: a gas leak at a petrol station across the road from the service. The team worked alongside emergency services to enact their emergency action plan.

All children and educators were kept safe during the event. Afterwards, educators at the service reflected on the incident. “Without all of our planning and practice, implementing an emergency management plan could have been very different and not as successful,” Stephanie shared.

Preparation, planning and reflection

When setting up Kin Early Learning, Stephanie emphasised the importance of conducting numerous emergency rehearsals in the first few months to ensure there was enough time to reflect, prepare and plan prior to the service opening.

Once operating, the service continued to complete rehearsals on a regular basis. After any rehearsal or real-life event, Stephanie and the team ‘reflects on what works, what doesn’t work and what needs to change or adjust’.

Roles and responsibilities

Stephanie also highlighted the importance of clearly defining roles and responsibilities and ensuring the entire team has a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved to minimise confusion in the case of an emergency.

Communication

Educators at Kin Early Learning also ensure that their emergency action plan is properly communicated to children at the service.

“Communication is key for children’s understanding of how important it is for us as educators to help keep them safe and the role that they play each day in assisting,” Stephanie explained.

This communication also enables the children to feel more in control of an emergency and be able to be part of the decision making.

Kin Early Learning has incorporated emergency planning into their program, ensuring times for discussion about emergencies, creating activities for children to map out the service’s floor plan and organising visits to the local fire station. These factors ensured the service’s successful navigation of the gas leak emergency.

Kin’s key learnings

• Communication is key.
• Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
• Preparation is so important.
• Ensure families know where to find you if you are evacuated.
• Ensure emergency bags and plans are ready to be used – during bushfire season checking batteries on radios and torches daily.
• Remember mobile phones and internet may not work in the event of a fire.
• If you evacuate, leave your evacuation details on the front door, including time and date, where you are relocating to, and note that the building is empty. This informs emergency services you have left the building and where they can find you.

Resources

• Visit the department’s Emergency Planning, Management, Response and Recovery page for information and resources designed to assist you in identifying, preparing for and managing emergencies at your service.
• Use our Emergency Management Plan (EMP) and guide to develop and maintain your EMP and procedures.
• Read our article Compliance focus – Emergency planning and management for further guidance.
• Download ACECQA’s Emergency and evacuation policy guidelines available on its Preparing NQF policies and procedures page.
• For services in multistorey buildings, access guidance and resources on new requirements for evacuations and approvals that commenced 1 October 2023 on ACECQA’s NQF changes overview webpage.