Emergency sheet for babysitters, guests and caregivers

Families know countless things without thinking about them: where the fire extinguisher hangs, which key opens the front door, which child cannot have nuts. For a guest all of this is unknown. Under stress hardly anyone thinks clearly, and that is exactly when this knowledge is missing. The sheet puts it on paper so it is available without asking and without a phone.

The fixed order is the core: emergency call first, then people, then the house. At the very top is the emergency number and below it the full address with floor, doorbell name and a landmark or cross street. That way it can simply be read out in an emergency. Below follow the names and ages of the children or people being cared for, allergies, medication and where it is kept, doctors and the phone numbers of both parents and a backup person.

The third part is about the house: escape route and meeting point outside, fire extinguisher, torch, first-aid kit, fuse box and water shut-off. Finally come the house rules: who may collect the children, which pets there are and what applies in a power cut – for example a torch instead of candles.

The address is the most common blind spot. Guests and babysitters often arrive by car or with navigation and never memorised the house number. Whoever calls the emergency number is first asked where the emergency is. Without the address, valuable minutes are lost. That is why it sits directly below the emergency number, clearly legible and complete.

Allergies and medication belong on the sheet in writing, not just in a quick chat at the door. What you say between putting on your coat and saying goodbye is quickly forgotten. But the sheet contains no medical instructions. If a child needs emergency medication or a medical device, the caregiver must be instructed in person, as the doctor specifies. A note does not replace that training.

The sheet needs a date. Phone numbers change, medication is added or stopped, a child gets older. Change the sheet as soon as something changes, and write the date of the last update on it. An outdated sheet can be misleading in an emergency.

The top rule on the sheet is: in a life-threatening situation call the local emergency number first (112 in the EU), then the parents. Many babysitters would call the parents first out of uncertainty – and lose time doing so. Say this rule out loud on the first visit too, so it is clear.

A simple order helps with the emergency call: where did it happen? What happened? How many people are affected? Then answer questions and do not hang up yourself until the dispatcher ends the call. These points can be written small below the address.

The sheet contains personal data. Do not post it where it can be read through a window or from the front door, and ask guests not to take it with them or photograph and pass it on after the visit. A spot on the inside of a cupboard door or in a clear sleeve in the kitchen is usually ideal.

A sheet is good, a walk-through together is better. On the first visit take five minutes and show the person the exits, the extinguisher, the torch and the first-aid kit. Also show how the front door opens from inside when it is locked – in many flats this is not obvious.

For people caring for someone who needs care, further points are added: which aids there are, how the person being cared for communicates, how to reach the care service and what to do with powered devices in an outage. These points are clarified beforehand with the care service or the doctor.