Emergency Car Seats...

[Abigail]

I don't have any children of my own yet. I'm going to open daycare this fall--FINALLY! I am wondering if I should purchase a car seat for an infant and then a larger car seat or a booster seat for an older child in case of emergency. I think there are 5-year rules about not having older ones, so this would become extremely costly since I don't have children of my own yet. Do I just need to put in my handbook that I do not own any type of child-transportation seat that any emergency will be called for an ambulance or someone on their emergency list who will have to provide the seat and transportation if anything were to happen?

It's tough thinking about all the details when I don't have any kids at home yet. I was asked my someone I regularly babysit for what I would do if an emergency came up with her young boys because I don't have car seats and she never leaves me any. What would I have done if something where to happen? (This is while babysitting in someone's home for this specific "what if" question)

[bice99]

I have 5 different types of seats in my garage for when I do transport kids (field trips, etc). But here's what's in my handbook regardless:

If an emergency arises and a child requires immediate transportation to a medical facility, an ambulance will be called and the parent/guardian will be notified. Parents are responsible for any fees.

[DBug]

If an emergency comes up, you won't have time to install a bunch of carseats and get everyone loaded up anyway. Even with my own 3 kids, if a real emergency came up (ie life-threatening), I'd have to send the injured child in the ambulance alone and follow with the other two. That's basically what I tell the daycare parents during our interviews too -- if their child were injured, they would be sent alone in the ambulance and I would be burning up the phone lines to get ahold of mom & dad. If for some reason mom & dad are unreachable, I would have my sub come over and watch the rest of the kids while I go to the hospital.

Now things like cuts requiring stitches, broken bones, etc -- they can all wait until mom or dad arrives to take them to the ER.

My evacuation plan involves taking the kids to my van which sits in the driveway, but that's only for shelter (and containment for the littles) since we get LOTS of snow and rain. From the van I would decide whether we needed to leave the premises to go to our emergency location, or whether we could stay there until parents can pick up.

Long story short -- I don't think you need carseats unless you're planning on doing field trips, definitely not for emergencies. And parents are usually totally okay with this, they just want to know that you have a plan in place.

[Unregistered]

I agree with the first two posters. In an emergency you don't have time to worry about seats and getting kids into them. Also, it takes the burden off of you to call an ambulance and allow professionals to deal with the emergency.

All my parents know I DO NOT TRANSPORT FOR ANY REASON. 1 because I do not have a car that fits all my dck and 2. I have not attended the required yearly training to transport.

If an issue comes up and a kid needs to be dealt with faster than parents can get there an ambulance is called and parents are on the hook for paying for it.

[familyschoolcare]

I transport children to/from school and on field trips. However, I require that parent provide a car sear they can either drop on e off everyday or leave one for me. It is in my contract that one is required every day even if a transportation is not planed because sometimes life happens. I did it this way so that I did not have to worry about which child was supposed to be in which type of car seat.

[laundrymom]

I don't offer transportation of any kind. I'm licensed for 10+3 SA. plus my own kids are here but are old enough not to count in my numbers
I have a minivan, 7 seats.

Sitting here one day and police knock on door, evacuating our neighborhood, gas main broke, gas was escaping into nearby area and heading my way police officer helped me load 13 dayfriends and 2 of my children into my van and made me leave. He said there was a time and place for rules laws and routines. Then there was a time to run to safety. We fled, and the leak repaired with out incident but it was scary. We had literally 2 min, to be out. He didn't bat an eye, had older ones hold younger ones, belted several in each belt. It was an emergency.

[Meeko]

I do not have car seats as I do not transport. In a DIRE EMERGENCY, I would just load 'em up best I could and leave , just like the above poster did.

That would be considered acceptable. Running to get milk is not LOL!!

[Abigail]

Good points....I would think broken bones would be an emergency though. I guess I would make it clear that I do not transport and that I must be able to reach them or there emergency contacts quickly to avoid having to use an ambulance if it's not life threatening.

[MG&Lsmom]

I offer transport and do weekly trips with my dcks. I supply the carseats, parents approve the seat/s that their children use and placement in the car.

If you are not planning on trips, I agree with PPs that you should transport via ambulance for anything requiring immediate attention, cuts requiring stitches, broken bones, etc. In an emergency when you are rushing the incidence of improperly installing a carseat greatly increases and then you could find yourself with more of a problem.

In MA we are required to have a backup that can arrive with in 10 mins so you can ride in the ambulance with the child needing transport. This number is also posted so that emergency personnel can contact that person if you are the one needing the ambulance.