Tennessee § 71-3-517 Development of a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in emergencies

Tennessee Statutes

§ 71-3-517 — Development of a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in emergencies

Tennessee § 71-3-517

Title71

This text of Tennessee § 71-3-517 (Development of a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in emergencies) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tenn. Code Ann. § 71-3-517 (2026).

Text

(a)All persons or entities operating a child care agency as defined in this part, excluding drop-in child care centers and those programs and facilities exempt from licensing as provided in § 71-3-503 , shall, in consultation with appropriate local authorities and local emergency management, develop a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in the event of emergencies, including, but not limited to, fires, tornados, earthquakes, chemical spills, and floods. Such persons or entities shall also inform parents and guardians of children attending the child care agency of the plan.

(b)The written plan required pursuant to this section shall include:

(1)Procedures for child care agency staff to notify parents in an emergency;

(2)The development of designated relocation sites and evacua

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

(a) All persons or entities operating a child care agency as defined in this part, excluding drop-in child care centers and those programs and facilities exempt from licensing as provided in § 71-3-503 , shall, in consultation with appropriate local authorities and local emergency management, develop a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in the event of emergencies, including, but not limited to, fires, tornados, earthquakes, chemical spills, and floods. Such persons or entities shall also inform parents and guardians of children attending the child care agency of the plan. (b) The written plan required pursuant to this section shall include: (1) Procedures for child care agency staff to notify parents in an emergency; (2) The development of designated relocation sites and evacuation routes to those sites; (3) Reunification plans for children and families; and (4) Written individualized plans for accommodating a child's special needs in an emergency situation. (c) The child care agency shall maintain documentation that the emergency plan is reviewed monthly. (d) All child care agency staff persons shall be trained on the plan annually. (e) The child care agency shall implement these emergency procedures through timely practice drills to meet local regulations and local emergency services plans and shall maintain documentation of drills for one (1) year. Such drills shall involve the following: (1) At least one (1) fire drill shall be conducted monthly; (2) Child care agencies shall alternate drills each month to cover each shift while children are present, including extended care hours; (3) At least one (1) drill other than fire shall be conducted every six (6) months; and (4) All drills shall be conducted in such a way as to simulate, as closely as is practical, conditions of a real emergency, with alarms to be utilized and evacuation plans to be practiced. (f) (1) Emergency telephone numbers for the following entities shall be posted next to all child care agency telephones and shall be readily available to all child care agency staff members: (A) Fire department; (B) Police department and sheriff's office; (C) Nearest hospital emergency room; (D) Department of children's services child abuse hotline; (E) Local emergency management agency; (F) Ambulance or rescue squad; (G) Poison control center; and (H) Department of human services child care complaint hotline. (2) If a generic emergency number, including, but not limited to, 911 service, is operable in the community, it shall also be posted in the manner prescribed in this subsection (f). (g) All contact information for parents, guardians, and emergency personnel shall be readily available to all child care agency staff, including work, home and cell phone numbers.