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WHAT'S SHAKING? Larry Hernandez, *Program Development Specialist, Children’s Services Unit, Riverside County Office of Education* “What’s Shaking “ is the name of the new and innovative emergency preparedness program that has been implemented by the Riverside County Office of Education, Children’s Services Unit through funding provided by the Riverside County Children and Families Commission (First Five). It’s focus is on preparing child care facilities throughout the county for various types of emergencies such as earthquakes, floods, fires, hazardous materials spills and unauthorized entry. Workshops are done throughout the county on a rotating basis. A free start up disaster kit is given to each participant. Teachers may also choose to attend the second part of “What’s Shaking” that specifically deals with putting together Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). Every participant who completes this class receives a helmet, vest, flashlight, mask and other search and rescue items.
	The program is now in its third year and has trained over two hundred preschool and child care professionals in emergency preparedness and response. “We believe this type of program is extremely important”, says Larry Hernandez, Program Development Specialist with the Children’s Services Unit. “Many people fail to realize that along with thousands of elementary and high school students attending school on any given day, there are also approximately ten thousand young children in child care and preschool programs” says Hernandez.
Until three years ago many of the preschool programs were not linked to the emergency management system. Now should there be a major disaster, such as an earthquake, Hernandez would report to the county’s emergency operations center and begin tracking preschool and child care status as information becomes available. The program also has an e- mail service to preschool and child care facilities for sending updated emergency information directly to these sites.
For more information and other health and safety related programs for preschool and child care professionals please contact Larry Hernandez.

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