Outline of the state of Iowa
State
Iowa
Required without interagency coordination

Category
Multi-hazard Practice Drills

Category
Multi-hazard Practice Drills

State law requires districts to implement multi-hazard practice drills (e.g., fire, lockdown, active shooter, or evacuation drills) without requiring inter-agency coordination.

Iowa Code 100.31 Fire and tornado drills in schools — warning systems — inspections.

  1. It shall be the duty of the state fire marshal and the fire marshal’s designated subordinates to require all private and public school officials and teachers to conduct not less than four fire drills and not less than four tornado drills in all school buildings during each school year when school is in session; and to require the officials and teachers of all schools to keep all doors and exits of their respective rooms and buildings unlocked when occupied during school hours or when such areas are being used by the public at other times. Not less than two drills of each type shall be conducted between July 1 and December 31 of each year and not less than two drills of each type shall be conducted between January 1 and June 30 of each year.

  2. Every school building with two or more classrooms shall have a warning system for fires of a type approved by the underwriters’ laboratories and by the state fire marshal. The warning system shall be used only for fire drills or as a warning for emergency. Schools may modify the fire warning system for use as a tornado warning system or shall install a separate tornado warning system. Every school building shall also be equipped with portable fire extinguishers, with the type, size and number in accordance with national fire protection association Standard and approved by the state fire marshal.

  3. The state fire marshal or the fire marshal’s deputies shall cause each public or private school, college or university to be inspected at least once every two years to determine whether each school meets the fire safety Standard of this Code and is free from other fire hazards. Provided, however, that cities which employ fire department inspectors shall cause such inspections to be made.

Policy Type
Statute

Iowa Code 280.30 High-quality school building emergency operations plans.

  1. The board of directors of a school district and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall develop a high-quality emergency operations plan for the district and individual school buildings in which students are educated no later than June 30, 2019. The plan shall include but not be limited to responses to active shooter scenarios and natural disasters. The plan shall provide that any alert regarding an emergency situation that is transmitted to school personnel or students by electronic means shall also be transmitted to the employer of any individual who is not a school employee but who is required as a part of the individual’s employment to regularly be present in a school building during the school year. The plan shall include publication of procedures for school personnel, parents, and guardians to report possible threats to the safety of students or school personnel on school grounds or at school activities. The board and authorities shall consider any recommendations of the department of education relating to the development of a high-quality emergency operations plan and shall consult with local emergency management coordinators and local law enforcement agencies in the development of the plan. The board and authorities shall review and update the plan on an annual basis. The plan shall be confidential and shall not be a public record subject to disclosure under chapter 22.
Policy Type
Statute

Iowa School Safety Guide 2012

Document detailing roles/responsibilities in emergency management.

Policy Type
Non-codified