Baby and Children Evacuation

Suppose an emergency occurs in a Hospital Maternity Ward, NICU or Childcare Centre where children are cared for. In that case, getting everyone out safely is challenging, particularly where vertical travel is involved, such as stairs. Because babies and children all require extra assistance in an emergency, all evacuation procedures will take longer than usual – so having an escape plan and the right emergency equipment is critical for life safety.

Hospital and Childcare Centre managers and staff have an ethical and legal responsibility to provide a safe environment for all babies and children in their care. It’s up to them to ensure that if an emergency occurs, the necessary emergency evacuation equipment is adequate and available, and escape plans are effective and practised regularly.

In any emergency, fully evacuating a multi-level hospital or childcare centre is a mammoth task, and planning helps make the job easier and less stressful if it ever happens. Ensuring all staff are well-drilled in what to do and providing them with suitable equipment to use in an emergency increases the likelihood of a successful emergency evacuation.