Utilities Failure

In case of equipment failure due to a power outage, the child care center will attempt to remain open if possible. The cause of the failure must be considered in the decision making. The Emergency Charge will determine the course of action.

If you are experiencing a water, power, sewer emergency, or service problem call the 24-hour hotline at 3-1-1, or (415) 701-2311 from outside SF, or log on at https://sf311.org/.

Electricity Failure 

1. Use lanterns for light in rooms, small flashlights for mobility.
2. Determine if any doors that rely on electricity have been affected (e.g. automatically locking doors that are opened by a buzzer, etc.) so parents and staff can access the child care center.
3. Put jackets on for warmth. 
4. Do not open refrigerators or freezers except when absolutely necessary. Each time you open it, it will lose its cold temperature significantly.
   1. A refrigerator will hold a safe temperature for about 4 hours. Temperature should not exceed 40º for over 2 hours or all perishable food must be replaced (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, leftovers). See H-29 for details. Never taste food to determine its safety.
   2. A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed). Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below, however, its quality may suffer. See H-30 for details. 
   3. Meal plan for the day may need to be adjusted if cooking/heating is not possible.
   4. Formula or human milk can be served room temperature or cold. Once the power is back on, check on frozen human milk: if it has started to thaw but still contains ice crystals, it can be refrozen. If human milk has completely thawed but still feels cold, put it in the refrigerator and use it within 24 hours or throw it away.
5. Laundry should be kept in a covered hamper until it can be laundered. 

Gas Failure 

1. If you smell gas or hear hissing sounds, evacuate immediately, and call 9-1-1.
2. Then Call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

Water Failure

1. Call the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission if you are experiencing a water, power, or sewer emergency or service problem call the 24-hour hotline at 3-1-1 or (415) 701-2311 from outside SF or log on at https://sf311.org/.
2. Immediately secure a supply of potable (drinkable) water by: 
   1. Using commercially bottled water. 
   2. Hauling water from another unaffected approved public water supply in a covered sanitized container.
   3. Arranging for the use of a licensed drinking water hauling truck.
3. Restrict food menu to items that need little or no water to prepare. 
4. Important: All water used to wash and prepare fruits and vegetables, and any water used as an ingredient in a ready-to-eat food product (coffee, juice, jello, ice etc.), or water used to prepare infant formula, must be from one of the potable water sources described above.
5. For handwashing: Use soap and clean bottled water whenever possible to wash your hands, especially before and after handling food. If you do not have soap and water on hand, use moist towelettes or hand sanitizer.
6. Use alcohol-based sanitizer – CDC recommends  that hand sanitizer should contain at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if your sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.

Telephone Failure 

1. Determine if any alternate lines work: pay phone, private lines, cell phones.
2. Notify parents/legal guardian of the telephone failure and provide the alternative contact number. 
3. One person must attend the alternate phone line. 
4. Use radios for internal communication, if applicable