A report by the international child-advocacy group Save the Children raises concerns that many U.S. institutions entrusted to protect children are not fully prepared to do so in the event of a disaster.
In its “National Report Card on Protecting Children During Disasters,” the Westport, Conn.-based organization says that 33 states and the District of Columbia do not meet at least one of the disaster-preparedness standards. The four standards entail requiring childcare facilities to have plans for evacuating children; for assisting children with disabilities; for reuniting families; and for multihazard situations in K-12 schools. Five states—Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and Montana—failed to meet any of the standards. Only 17 states require such emergency plans, the report found.
