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Childcare Centers and Preschools |
Preschools and childcare centers care for children from infancy up to the age of 16. Licensure through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is required for a vast majority of these programs. The Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office plays a role in inspecting and approving these facilities, which include all-day childcare, school-age programs, before and after school programs, part-day preschools, and head start programs. The Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office (KSFMO) combines all these into two categories: preschools and childcare centers. Preschools: In order for a facility to be considered a preschool by KSFMO, all of the following conditions must be met:
If all these conditions are met, the facility is considered a 'preschool' and must meet the inspection requirements found in Checklist 06-E. Childcare Centers: If any of the following conditions are met, the facility is considered a childcare center by KSFMO:
If any of these conditions are met, the facility is considered a 'childcare center' and must meet the inspection requirements found in Checklist 06-C. Childcare centers, especially those with children under 30 months, must meet a greater fire and life safety burden than education occupancies. Because of the younger children and their inability to preserve their own life in the event of an emergency, more stringent requirements are in place to compensate. Although local jurisictions may impose greater requirements than those set by the Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office, they can not approve less than what is required by KSFMO. The facility owners and operators are responsible for insuring state and local requirements are met. New Facilities and License Amendments to Existing Facilities KDHE requires Kansas State Fire Marshal (KSFM) approval for many things, including the licensing of new facilities, amendments to existing facilities, and changes in facility name or ownership. This is sometimes referred to as "Fire Marshal Approval." What does "Fire Marshal Approval" mean? It means that the plans of your facility or proposed changes to your facility have been reviewed for compliance with the Kansas Fire Prevention Code. "Fire Marshal Approval" is NOT the same thing as an inspection. What is required for new facilities?
What is required for a license amendment that involves changing the numbers or ages of children?
What is required for a license amendment that only involves a change in name or ownership? Submit a letter to KSFM clearly stating the change. Provide both old and new information. Clearly indicate that no other changes to your program or facility are occurring and include a photocopy of an inspection completed within the past 6 months. Where do I send my paperwork? You can mail paperwork to the Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office, 700 SW Jackson Street, Suite 600, Topeka, Kansas, 66603. You can also fax materials to (785) 296-0151, but please be aware that the process of faxing plans or drawings can sometimes render them unreadable. Do I need an annual inspection? Yes. In major cities, start by calling your local fire department and request an inspection. For most other facilities, your annual inspection will be regularly scheduled by the KSFM office and you will not need to request one. What's included in the packet I might receive from your office? The following forms, including all the information on this page, are included in packets from our office. All this information is available online. If you are unable to access needed information, call our main office line at (785) 296-3401 and request a packet. FireFact 050 - Childcare Centers |
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