No More Blind Spots

Spring has arrived in Tennessee—and with it comes extreme weather season. Tornadoes and other disasters can form quickly, strike without warning, and cause devastating harm.

While many people may be caught unprepared, that isn’t a risk early childhood educators can afford to take.

Entrusted with the most vulnerable members of our communities, early childhood educators do far more than nurture young minds. Every day, they are responsible for keeping children safe, calm, and protected, even in the face of emergencies.

But here’s the reality: good intentions and instinct alone are not enough.

‍

Emergency Preparedness Gaps are More Common Than You Think

Many early childhood educators assume they are prepared for emergencies—until a crisis exposes unseen gaps.

A 2023 international study of 167 early childhood teachers revealed a concerning trend:

While 138 educators had received some form of disaster preparedness training,

• 57.4% reported training limited to fire evacuation
  

• Only 27% had training in infectious disease prevention
  

• Just 11.8% had training related to natural disaster evacuations

The study also found that full-time staff and principals scored significantly higher in emergency preparedness knowledge than part-time educators, assistant teachers, and classroom teachers. In other words: blind spots exist at every level—and they can put children, staff, and families at risk.

‍

Why Emergency Preparedness Matters in Early Childhood Education

As an early childhood educator, you want to be ready to protect the children in your care every single day. Yet emergency preparedness is complex, constantly evolving, and often overwhelming.

While all licensed child care programs are required to maintain a multi-hazard emergency preparedness response plan, creating and updating that plan can be challenging. Emergencies like fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, lockdown situations, and health outbreaks demand fast, confident, and coordinated responses.

The good news? You don’t have to navigate this alone.

‍

Meet Your Emergency Preparedness Partners: TN CCR&R

The Tennessee Child Care Resource & Referral Network (TN CCR&R), our sister organization, has developed an Emergency Preparedness Program designed specifically for early childhood educators and child care programs.

This program provides hands-on, educator-centered support, including:

• Coaching and training: Personalized guidance to help you understand risks and prepare effectively.

• Emergency response planning: Support in developing functional, compliant, and realistic multi-hazard emergency plans tailored to your center, staff, and children.

• Practical, ready-to-use resources: Tools that are easy to implement—not just theoretical.

TN CCR&R’s emergency preparedness coaches work alongside you to design plans that truly fit your program’s needs, ensuring you’re prepared for real-life scenarios—not just paperwork compliance.

‍

Free Emergency Preparedness Resources: Available Now!

In addition to coaching, the TN CCR&R Emergency Preparedness web page offers a wide range of free, downloadable resources, including:

• Evacuation procedures
• Lockdown and shelter-in-place drills
• Emergency planning templates
• Links to podcasts, websites, and training tools

These resources are tried, tested, and trusted. TN CCR&R has supported child care programs through real emergencies—including the Nashville tornadoes of December 2023 and Hurricane Helene—helping educators respond with confidence when it mattered most.
‍

No More Blind Spots: Be Ready When It Counts

When it comes to classroom safety, emergency preparedness is not optional. Blind spots—especially unseen ones—can have serious consequences. Preparation saves time, reduces panic, and protects lives.

That’s why TN CCR&R’s Emergency Preparedness Team is here: to guide, support, and equip early childhood educators with the knowledge and tools they need to stay ready—no matter what comes their way.

Visit www.tnccrr.org/resources/emergency-preparedness to explore resources, connect with coaches, and strengthen your emergency preparedness today.

Because when emergencies happen, being prepared makes all the difference.

‍