Conducting School Safety Drills

School safety drills are an essential part of ensuring the safety and security of students and staff members. These drills simulate both small and large emergency situations and help everyone in the school understand what to do in case of a real emergency.

Best Practices for Conducting School Safety Drills

 

Develop an All Inclusive Safety Plan

Before conducting any safety drills, it is essential to develop an all-inclusive safety plan that outlines different emergency scenarios and the appropriate responses. The plan should be created with input from all stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, and local law enforcement agencies.

This safety plan presents a detailed, clear and concise safety process that everyone can follow at a moment’s notice, for any type of emergency.  The all-inclusive plan is ideally managed and leveraged via technology, specifically a cloud-based app with features including:

  • A customized checklist and instructions for that particular incident
  • Reliability accessibility and mobility — you can access your safety plan in the app wherever you have an internet connected device
  • Clear plan of action communicated to all concerned parties, including alerts to first responders, if need be.

Technology supports your plan with intuitive checklists and reminders, easily accessed on an app by parents, teachers, and staff alike. This simplifies and streamlines your process, ensuring that everyone is prepared before a critical incident ever occurs.

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Train Staff and Students

Once the safety plan is developed, all staff members and students should be trained on what to do in each emergency situation. This training should be conducted regularly to ensure that everyone is familiar with the procedures and can respond quickly and effectively. Survey your school to discover what everyone knows or still needs to know in response to different scenarios. Adequate training and knowing what to do in an incident mitigates the severity of a critical situation. Unfortunately, research has shown that when things escalate it’s often because no one knew what to do and so a crisis occurred.

Leverage technology by sending critical incident instructions directly to the staff’s personal devices, including a checklist for how to handle a specific emergency until first responders arrive (if needed).

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Conduct Different Types of Drills

Schools should conduct different types of drills, including fire, lockdown and evacuation drills. Each drill should be designed to simulate a real emergency situation and be tailored to the school’s specific layout and emergency response plan.

Fire Drills

The purpose of a fire drill is to prepare students and staff to evacuate the building safely and quickly in case of a fire. During a fire drill, everyone must remain calm and follow the designated evacuation route.

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Earthquake Drills

Earthquake drills are necessary in areas prone to earthquakes. During an earthquake drill, students and staff should take cover under desks or tables, away from windows and other potential hazards.

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Tornado Drills

Tornado drills are necessary in areas prone to tornadoes. During a tornado drill, students and staff should move to a designated safe area within the building, away from windows and other potential hazards. Everyone should remain there until the drill is over.

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Lockdown Drills

Lockdown drills are executed to prepare for a potential threat within the school, such as an active shooter. During a lockdown drill, everyone must remain quiet and hide, following the procedures outlined in the safety plan.

Use Realistic Scenarios

The scenarios used during safety drills should be realistic and based on actual emergencies that could occur in the school. This will help students and staff members understand the seriousness of the situation and the importance of following the proper procedures. It will also enforce the ‘muscle memory’ of the plan so that if something does happen, everyone will be fully prepared.

Review and Evaluate Drills

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After each safety drill, it is essential to review and evaluate the drill’s effectiveness. This evaluation should include feedback from staff members and students to identify any areas that need improvement and make any necessary changes to the emergency response plan. This review and the updates should occur immediately after the drill occurs so that nothing is forgotten or overlooked. 

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Solidify a Reunification Plan

Reunification is one part of the emergency response plan that most schools simply haven’t practiced enough.

Appoint a dedicated safety coordinator and make sure all staff and students understand that this is their role. By designating a safety coordinator, you can assign and delegate specific responsibilities around reunification. 

Plan out your reunification locations, your school will need three separate locations: one dedicated to student check-in, one for parent check-in, and one for parent/family reunification. 

Your reunification plan needs to clearly address how students will be transported to the reunification center and how you will communicate with parents to let them know when to show up, when not to and where to go when they do. 

A reunification plan can be very complex, so it is especially important to lay it out, convey it to all stakeholders and practice it as frequently as any other safety drill.

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Communicate with Parents and Guardians

Schools should communicate with parents and guardians about the planned safety drills and the school’s emergency response plan. This will help parents understand what their kid is learning during the drills.  Some kids get very nervous even during practice drills. The parents will be able to have the conversation with them and reassure them that it’s only practice and it is important to pay attention and follow what they are told in order to keep them safe.

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Pikmykid for Emergency and Reunification Drills

Pikmykid’s safety and emergency tool is designed to help keep schools safe during emergencies, big or small, and help simplify your reunification process. It is also designed to run safety drills so that state drill requirements can be met and, staff and students are confident they are prepared in the case of a real emergency.

With Pikmykid’s app, schools can customize the platform to send specific alerts and messages to parents, teachers, and staff during the drills. This can include instructions on what to do during the drill, where to go, and what to expect. Schools can also use the platform to track attendance and ensure that all students, teachers, and staff are accounted for during the drill.

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Drill Requirements By State

Below is a list of safety drills and their frequency required to be conducted each year by state, as well as the person in charge of enforcing these drills.

Emergency Drill – 1 per month
Lockdown Drill – 1 per semester
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Emergency Drill – 1 per month
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Not Identified in Statute

Lockdown Drill – 1 per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Drop Procedure – one per quarter – elementary; one per semester – secondary
Drill Manager/Lead: Staff Member

All-Hazard Drill
Fire Drill
Table Top Exercises
(frequency determined by school board)
Drill Manager/Lead: N/A

Crisis Response Drill -one every three months, in place of a fire drill
Fire Drill – one per month
Drill Manager/Lead: School Safety Team

Lockdown or Intruder Drill -two per year
Tabletop Exercise – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: School Safety Team

Not Identified in Statute

Emergency Drills – one per year of each type
Drill Manager/Lead: School Safety Team

School Safety Plan Drill – frequency determined by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Not Identified in Statute

Evacuation Drill – frequency not specified
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Law Enforcement Drills – one per year
School Evacuation Drills – three per year
Severe Weather and Shelter-in-place Drills – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Active Shooter Drill – one per year
Fire Evacuation Drill -one per month
Manmade Occurrence Disaster Drill – one per semester
Tornado Drill – one per semester
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

School Safety Plan Drill – one per year (may include a table top exercise, walkthrough, partial drill, or full drill)
Fire Drill – four per year
Tornado Drill – four per year
Drill Manager/Lead: District Board

Crisis Drill – three per year
Fire Drill – four per year
Tornado Drill – two per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Lockdown Drill – two per year
Severe Weather Drill – two per year
Tornado Drill – two per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

School Safety Plan Drill – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Evacuation Drills
Lockdown Drills -frequency varies by grade level
Drill Manager/Lead: Staff Member

Evacuation Drill – one per year
Shelter in Place Drill -one per year
Reverse Evacuation Drill – one per year
Lockdown Drill – one per year
Drop, Cover, Hold Drill – one per year
Severe Weather Drill – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Not Identified in Statute

Fire Drill – eight per year
Lockdown Drill – three per year
Tornado Drill – two per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

School Fire Drill – five per year
School Lockdown Drill – five per year
Tornado Drill – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Active Shooter with Lockdown/intruder shelter in place
Tabletop Activity and full scale operational based response drills all serving as acceptable Active Shooter drills – two per year
Fire Drill – one per month)
Tornado Drill – two per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Not Identified in Statute

Disaster Drill – eight per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Tornado Drill – two per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Emergency Drill – Fire, Lockdown or Other Emergency -one per month
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

All-Hazard Response Drill – four per year
Armed-Assailant Response Drill – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Fire Drill – one per month
School Security Drill – one per month
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Emergency Drill – Active Shooter or Evacuation – four per year
Fire Drill – four per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Evacuation Drill – eight Per Year
Lockdown Drill – four Per Year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Tabletop Exercise – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Emergency Drill – frequency not specified
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Emergency Drill – six per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Fire Drill – two per year
School Security Drill – four per year
Tornado Drill – two per year
Additional Safety Drills consistent with the risks assessed by the Safe School Committee – two per year Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Emergency Drills – 30 minutes per month
Of that time, earthquake Drills (two) and safety threat drills (two) must take place. For schools in the tsunami hazard zone, at least (3) drills on earth quakes and tsunamis must take place. Fire drills are also required.
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Fire Drill – one per month
School Security Drill – one or two per year in place of the monthly fire drill
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Emergency Egress Drill. – one per month*
Evacuation Drill – two per year
Lockdown Drill – two per year

*At least one out of every four emergency egress drills shall be obstructed.
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Active Shooter/Intruder Drill – two per year
Fire Drill – two per year
Severe Weather/Earthquake -two per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Fire Drill -two per semester
Fire, tornado, and other disaster drills are required as a part of the school safety plan.
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Armed Intruder Drill – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: School Safety Team

Emergency Drills – number and frequency determined by Texas School Safety Center and State Fire Marshal
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Elementary School:
Emergency Drill – one per month
Other safety or security drill as determined appropriate by school location – alternated with fire drill
Secondary School:
Fire Drill – every two months
Other safety or security drill – every two months*

*Safety and security drills alternate with fire drills Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Emergency Preparedness Drill – one per month
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Fire drill – three per year
Lockdown drill – two per year
Tornado drill – one per year
Drill Manager/Lead: Not Specified

Not Identified in Statute

Fire Drill – one per month
School Safety Drill – two per year
Tornado Drill – two per year

Safety drill may be substituted for another type of drill
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Fire Drill – one per month
Safety drills may be substituted for fire drills with approval
Drill Manager/Lead: Head of School

Alabama

Emergency Drill – 1 per month
Lockdown Drill – 1 per semester

Alaska

Emergency Drill – 1 per month

Arizona

Not Identified in Statute

Arkansas

Lockdown Drill – 1 per year

California

Drop Procedure – one per quarter – elementary; one per semester – secondary

Colorado

All-Hazard Drill
Fire Drill
Table Top Exercises
(frequency determined by school board)

Connecticut

Crisis Response Drill -one every three months, in place of a fire drill
Fire Drill – one per month

Delaware

Lockdown or Intruder Drill -two per year
Tabletop Exercise – one per year

District of Columbia

Not Identified in Statute

Florida

Emergency Drills – one per year of each type

Georgia

School Safety Plan Drill – frequency determined by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency

Hawaii

Not Identified in Statute

Idaho

Evacuation Drill – frequency not specified

Illinois

Law Enforcement Drills – one per year
School Evacuation Drills – three per year
Severe Weather and Shelter-in-place Drills – one per year

Indiana

Active Shooter Drill – one per year
Fire Evacuation Drill -one per month
Manmade Occurrence Disaster Drill – one per semester
Tornado Drill – one per semester

Iowa

School Safety Plan Drill – one per year (may include a table top exercise, walkthrough, partial drill, or full drill)
Fire Drill – four per year
Tornado Drill – four per year

Kansas

Crisis Drill – three per year
Fire Drill – four per year
Tornado Drill – two per year

Kentucky

Lockdown Drill – two per year
Severe Weather Drill – two per year
Tornado Drill – two per year

Louisiana

School Safety Plan Drill – one per year

Maine

Evacuation Drills
Lockdown Drills -frequency varies by grade level

Maryland

Evacuation Drill – one per year
Shelter in Place Drill -one per year
Reverse Evacuation Drill – one per year
Lockdown Drill – one per year
Drop, Cover, Hold Drill – one per year
Severe Weather Drill – one per year

Massachusetts

Not Identified in Statute

Michigan

Fire Drill – eight per year
Lockdown Drill – three per year
Tornado Drill – two per year

Minnesota

School Fire Drill – five per year
School Lockdown Drill – five per year
Tornado Drill – one per year

Mississippi

Active Shooter with Lockdown/intruder shelter in place
Tabletop Activity and full scale operational based response drills all serving as acceptable Active Shooter drills – two per year
Fire Drill – one per month)
Tornado Drill – two per year

Missouri

Not Identified in Statute

Montana

Disaster Drill – eight per year

Nebraska

Tornado Drill – two per year

Nevada

Emergency Drill – Fire, Lockdown or Other Emergency -one per month

New Hampshire

All-Hazard Response Drill – four per year
Armed-Assailant Response Drill – one per year

New Jersey

Fire Drill – one per month
School Security Drill – one per month

New Mexico

Emergency Drill – Active Shooter or Evacuation – four per year
Fire Drill – four per year

New York

Evacuation Drill – eight Per Year
Lockdown Drill – four Per Year

North Carolina

Tabletop Exercise – one per year

North Dakota

Emergency Drill – frequency not specified

Ohio

Emergency Drill – six per year

Oklahoma

Fire Drill – two per year
School Security Drill – four per year
Tornado Drill – two per year
Additional Safety Drills consistent with the risks assessed by the Safe School Committee – two per year

Oregon

Emergency Drills – 30 minutes per month
Of that time, earthquake Drills (two) and safety threat drills (two) must take place. For schools in the tsunami hazard zone, at least (3) drills on earth quakes and tsunamis must take place. Fire drills are also required.

Pennsylvania

Fire Drill – one per month
School Security Drill – one or two per year in place of the monthly fire drill

Rhode Island

Emergency Egress Drill. – one per month*
Evacuation Drill – two per year
Lockdown Drill – two per year

*At least one out of every four emergency egress drills shall be obstructed.

South Carolina

Active Shooter/Intruder Drill – two per year
Fire Drill – two per year
Severe Weather/Earthquake -two per year

South Dakota

Fire Drill -two per semester
Fire, tornado, and other disaster drills are required as a part of the school safety plan.

Tennessee

Armed Intruder Drill – one per year

Texas

Emergency Drills – number and frequency determined by Texas School Safety Center and State Fire Marshal

Utah

Elementary School:
Emergency Drill – one per month
Other safety or security drill as determined appropriate by school location – alternated with fire drill
Secondary School:
Fire Drill – every two months
Other safety or security drill – every two months*

*Safety and security drills alternate with fire drills

Vermont

Emergency Preparedness Drill – one per month

Virginia

Fire drill – three per year
Lockdown drill – two per year
Tornado drill – one per year

West Virginia

Not Identified in Statute

Wisconsin

Fire Drill – one per month
School Safety Drill – two per year
Tornado Drill – two per year

Safety drill may be substituted for another type of drill

Wyoming

Fire Drill – one per month
Safety drills may be substituted for fire drills with approval

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