Develop your school’s evacuation plan

Emergencies happen, but a well-prepared school evacuation plan can help keep students and staff safe. Whether it’s a fire, earthquake, or flood, being ready can make all the difference.

Build a school evacuation plan

When developing a plan, each member of the school community should understand their roles and responsibilities.

• Emergency response team: Designate a team responsible for developing and implementing the plan. This team typically includes administrators, safety officers, teachers, and support staff who are trained in emergency response procedures.

• Communications: Assign someone to handle communications during emergencies, including notifying emergency services, parents or guardians, and ensuring staff members are informed of the situation and evacuation procedures. Use an emergency notification system to quickly alert staff, students, and parents or guardians about emergencies via text messages, emails, or phone calls.

• Teachers and staff: Educators should be familiar with evacuation routes, assembly points, and procedures to account for all students under their care.

• Students: Familiarize students with the evacuation plan through regular drills and classroom discussions. They should be comfortable with what to do in various emergency scenarios so they can respond calmly and safely.

Practice frequent drills and training

Conduct evacuation drills at least once per semester, with additional drills for specific scenarios like earthquakes, floods, or hazardous material spills as necessary. Practice using different evacuation routes and varying times of the day and advance notice. Teachers or designated staff members should practice taking attendance at the assembly locations to ensure all students are safely accounted for.

Regularly review your plan

After each drill, evaluate the plan and gather feedback to improve your procedures. Regular review and refinement help to ensure everyone is ready to respond swiftly and safely.

Specific evacuation procedures

• Fire: When a fire alarm goes off, stop all activities and follow clearly marked evacuation routes to safe locations away from the building.

• Flood: Identify flood risks specific to your school's location and establish clear evacuation routes. Communication primary and secondary pathways to everyone.

• Earthquake: Train everyone to drop to the ground, take cover, and hold on until the shaking stops. Evacuate to open spaces away from buildings, if necessary. Assess the buildings safety before re-entry.

• Hazardous material spill: Quickly notify emergency responders and evacuate if necessary., moving upwind and uphill to minimize exposure. Sometimes, sheltering in place might be safer if evacuation could expose individuals to more danger.

Creating and maintaining a comprehensive school evacuation plan is essential for the safety of everyone in your school community. Being prepared can save lives, reduce panic, and help keep your school environment safe.