8132-R, Fire and Disaster Drills Regulation

Each Building Principal shall be responsible for reviewing these procedures with the staff to insure that the regulations are being properly followed, and that staff and students are familiar with the emergency procedures.

I. Procedures for Fire Drills

A. Principal shall see that his school holds at least 12 fire drills per year, with 8 such drills to be held between September 1 and December 1.

1. The fire department must be notified of the day and time of day that the drill is to take place.
2. The fire department must be notified at the conclusion of the fire drill.
3. Report on fire drill details must be filed after each drill.

B. Student Orderly Exit Regulations

1. Leave building orderly, in pairs, quickly and quietly – using proper stairs and exits. Each teacher will supervise his or her own group to designated safety area.
2. Teachers who have no classes at the time the fire signal sounds should step into the corridors at the sound of the signal and be ready to give directions and control whenever the need arises. These teachers must also leave the building – following the students who are last to leave.
3. All teachers should see that the windows in the various rooms – as well as the doors – are closed in order to avoid the updraft that has been so dangerous in other fires.
4. Teachers should see that all disabled students are assisted from the building.
5. The woman and man teacher nearest each girls’ and boys’ lavatory and rest room should inspect these rooms for occupants immediately after the last student has left his classroom.
6. Each teacher should know which rooms adjacent to his are unoccupied each period of the day – and inspect those rooms for occupants immediately after the last student has left his classroom.
7. In case it is noticed that any classrooms have not heard the fire alarm, they should be notified by teachers in adjacent rooms.
8. Do not attempt to salvage anything such as books. Do not carry any article which might be dropped and result in someone tripping. Girls should take their purses with them.

II. Procedures for Disasters

A. Emergency Warning Categories

1. Weather Watch – conditions are present which encourage the formation of tornadoes. None have been sighted.
2. Alert – tornadoes have been sighted; one may be moving in the general direction of the school but 25 miles or more away; and/or tornadoes have been sighted within a 15 mile radius of the school.
3. Danger (take cover) – a tornado has been sighted in the general direction of the school and is less than 25 miles away; and/or tornadoes have been sighted less than 15 miles from the school.

B. Principal shall conduct three (3) or more disaster drills per year.

1. Weather Watch
   a. Preparation
   1. No student may leave school unless accompanied by parent or released by the Principal. In both cases they must sign out in office. All employees must sign out when leaving building.
   2. Teachers shall keep close physical contact with students, give instructions and review all policies. Maintain calm attitude.
   3. Continue working as usual.
   4. Principal should designate one or more persons to act as tornado watchers who may be stationed on top of building or other areas on school premises.
   5. Loaded school buses may proceed to leave school premises at once if this warning is in effect at close of school.
2. Alert
   a. Preparation
   1. Take all precautions as for weather watch status and, in addition, evacuate gyms, auditoriums and top floors of multi-story buildings.
   2. Evacuate mobile units.
   3. In one story buildings move to corridors, kneel or sit on floor, face walls, head between knees. Areas chosen should, if possible, be away from interior windows or other areas containing glass.
   4. In multi-story buildings, evacuate top floor. Take cover in lower corridors, sit on floor, back to lockers, head between knees.
   5. SCHOOL BUSES MUST NOT LEAVE SCHOOL PREMISES DURING THIS EMERGENCY.
      Children must be unloaded and returned to school building.
3. Danger
   a. Preparation
   1. Take all precautions and such measures as outlined in weather watch and alert situations.
   2. Sudden tornado with insufficient warning: Duck and take cover. Safety is achieved by using what is at hand for protection. Crouching under desks away from windows will prevent some of the debris from hitting the body.
   3. If sufficient time – move desks away from windows and take cover under desks or take cover in corridors of multi-story buildings.8132-R
   4. As impact becomes imminent, the following things should be done:
      Pupils and the teacher will put on all available coats and sweaters and will get down on the floor beside their desks on the side away from the windows.
      The drapes or window blinds should be drawn to help protect against broken glass.
      All loose items that could be blown around the room should be stored in desks or in closets.
      The classroom door should be left open.
      The lights should be turned off and all electrical appliances should be disconnected.
      Any other obviously needed precautions should be taken under the direction of the teacher.
   5. The nurse should bring first aid equipment to each refuge area.
   6. The custodians should bring fire equipment and tools to each refuge area.

Note: Prior regulation, Fire and Disaster Drills, 2212.2(a)-(c) 

Ref: NYS Education Law, § 807

January 18, 1979
June 22, 1998