Emergency Bags for Daycares

I've had a lot of fun this week working on a series of articles about emergency bags for daycares. I have ALWAYS had an emergency bag that I used for every outing, and another emergency bag at our safe place (in a neighbor's garage).
A documentary buff, I have watched extensive footage of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Ever the daycare queen, I couldn't help but think (and think, and think) about the daycares involved in these emergencies, and how they handled things. Probably daycares were closed for Hurricane Katrina, but they certainly weren't on 9/11. Photo: flickr
My biggest fear has always been that I will get separated from my children and not be able to get to them, and I'm sure that most other parents are just like me. For me, security is achieved (besides lots of prayer) by preparation, and planning.
I recommend THREE emergency bags; an outing bag, for trips to the park, McDonald's, whatever...
The second is an emergency bag that would be stored outside of your facility, such as in an unattached garage, shed, barn, etc, for emergencies such as a structure fire, where you would need first aid, water, food, warmth, until emergency personnel and/or parents arrived.
The third is a Bug-Out-Bag (B.O.B) to grab when the worst has happened, and you need to leave town quickly. This could be any number of things...wild fires, tornadoes, terrorist attacks, flooding, etc. (Fourth article not published yet)
We always hope and pray that the worst will never happen, but it can, and it HAS. A plan for your family and a plan for your daycare will not only be life-saving, it will be reassuring for everyone involved.