Think about the following scenarios. Describe how you would respond to each.

1. The dam near your town, Rossdale, broke without warning this morning. The northeast quadrant of Rossdale is being evacuated, and your home is part of the mandatory evacuation. It is approximately 11 a.m., and you were beginning to prepare lunch when the evacuation notice went out. Vehicles are being blocked from entering the northeast quadrant, so parents are unable to come pick up their children. You are being directed to transport the children to an emergency shelter in a church on the southwest side of town. Although your vehicle can transport some of the children, they cannot all fit in your vehicle at once. A newscast informs you that buses will be coming through the area to help evacuate.

   1. How do you notify families that their children are safe? How do you notify families of their children’s location?
       
   2. How would you inform the children of the situation and prepare them?
       
   3. What do you do about lunch?
       
   4. How do you ensure appropriate supervision is maintained? What is your plan for transporting the children?
       
   5. What other concerns to you have?
       

2. At 4:36 p.m., a father comes to the front door of your home. You are surprised to see him because the family has been involved in a complicated custody dispute. He has been removed from the list of individuals who may pick up the child. The child’s mother has already arrived to pick the child up and is currently in your home. You notice the father appears sweaty and nervous. Suddenly he pulls a gun out of his jacket and demands to see his child. He begins yelling threatening statements and waving the weapon.

   1. How can the risk of injuries and death be minimized in this dangerous situation?
       
   2. How do you quickly communicate the situation to the police?
       
   3. What procedures should be followed to ensure the safety of children, families, and any other people involved?
       
   4. What plans should be put in place to prevent such events in the future?
       
   5. What other concerns to you have?
       

3. It’s 3:15 p.m. and Jana, a third grader who walks to your home from school each day, has not yet arrived. Neither of her parents informed you that Jana would be absent today. You call her mother’s and father’s phone numbers to double-check, but neither one answers. You contact her school to make sure she was dismissed on time. The secretary connects you to Jana’s teacher who informs you that that she walked Jana out as usual and she saw Jana take her typical path to the right of the school. You recall that Jana has been sad much of the week, but you have not really been able to identify the source of her sadness.

   1. How do you respond to Jana’s disappearance?
       
   2. What is your plan for notifying authorities and any other external important points of contact that a child is missing?
       
   3. How do you maintain good supervision and keep the other children calm while working on this issue of a missing child?
       
   4. What is your plan for notifying parents?
       
   5. What can you do in the future to prevent such incidents?
       
   6. What other concerns do you have?