Day Cares Ask Parents to Pick Up Children Early As Storms Near

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The threat of severe weather has prompted some Oklahoma day cares to ask parents to pick up their children early.

Most day cares use the interior bathrooms as safe rooms, but directors say they are not big enough to fit all the children.

The Goddard School near Northwest 174th Street and Western Avenue is building a gymnasium that will double as a safe room.

"The thought of doing it in a gymnasium where it is big enough and being able to fit everybody in and be safe, it was a no brainer to us," said Robin McIntosh, day care owner.

No matter the size of the day care, all childcare providers in the state are required to have a plan of action. When storms strike, staffers make the move from the classroom to the safety room as stress free as possible.

The owner of Goddard said the storm shelter gym will even be available to parents, older kids, even nearby residents and will be completed by August.