For this chapter, an emergency is a situation that occurs outside the normal responsibilities of the resource families. An emergency demands immediate advice or assistance.
Alaska State Regulations at 7 AAC 67.303 require licensed foster homes have a disaster preparedness and emergency evacuation plan, including fire safety and fire drills. See Chapter 16, Safety. These plans are utilized for any type of emergency to your home, including fire, flood, and storm damage.
You will be asked to complete a “Provider Emergency Information Response” form so that OCS can locate you in the event of a natural disaster or an emergency that may or has required you to evacuate your area. In addition, each office has a disaster plan. Contact your licensing worker for more information.
Disaster preparedness and emergency evacuation plans should be practiced according to age of the children listed below, and each time that a child is placed into your home.
The evacuation plan must describe in detail the procedures that will be followed for complete evacuation from the home.
Helpful information and resources are available on the Public Health Preparedness website at https://health.alaska.gov/dph/Emergency/Pages/prepared/default.aspx.
Alaska State regulations at 7 AAC 67.335 require a foster home to maintain at least one first aid kit. The first aid kit must include at least the following items:
Current certification in First Aid and Infant and Child CPR (coronary pulmonary resuscitation) are not required of resource families in the state of Alaska, but it is strongly recommended. You should know what to do for a choking child or a child who is bleeding or is not breathing. This is especially important if you are caring for a child with medical problems. A first aid chart is available through your local health clinic.
If you are interested in first aid training, contact the Red Cross, licensing worker, assigned worker, Alaska Center for Resource Families, school, emergency services or the health service or hospital in your community for referral to classes that may be offered.
Licensed foster parents who completed certified Red Cross First Aid and CPR training can receive training hours towards the required trainings. Additional helpful information and resources are available online at:
Once the First Aid and Infant and Child CPR training has been completed, send a copy of the receipt of payment and certificate to hss.ocsservicearray@alaska.gov and you will be reimbursed for the cost of the First Aid and Infant and Child CPR training up to $150.00.
Licensing regulations at 7 AAC 67.303(g) require that all licensed foster homes have a disaster kit that includes:
In the event of an emergency, have the number of the hospital, village health aid, law enforcement agency, poison control center and assigned worker phone numbers listed in a central location in the home.
Foster families are also asked to designate an adult who will be available to help in case of sickness, accident, or other emergency absences. If your emergency contact changes, you must notify your licensing worker.
If the emergency requires immediate attention call 911. A licensee shall report critical incidents immediately or as soon as reasonably possible to the licensing specialist and to
Critical Incidents Include:
When you contact the placing agency in an emergency, identify yourself as a resource family member and tell the receptionist or answering service that you have an emergency, and you need to speak to the assigned worker or a supervisor.
If the child in care is violent, threatening, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, contact the local law enforcement agency for assistance. Notify the assigned worker or probation officer as soon as you can, but no later than the beginning of the next business day.
The Incident, Emergency, Accident, Illness, and Change Report Foster Home/Foster Group Home form DO84- Lic-08 should be completed when making these types of reports.