Outline of the state of Pennsylvania
State
Pennsylvania
Required, with required or encouraged 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) and encourages or requires inter-agency coordination.

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 35. Section 7701. Duties concerning disaster prevention.

(f) Disaster response and emergency preparedness drills. — Annually, schools and custodial child care facilities shall conduct at least one disaster response or emergency preparedness plan drill.

Policy Type
Statute

Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1306-B. School safety and security grant program

(j) Specific purposes. The committee shall provide grants to school entities for programs that address safety and security, including: (11) Thorough, districtwide school safety, violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards plans, including revisions or updates to such plans and conducting emergency preparedness drills and related activities with local emergency responders.

Policy Type
Statute

Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Article XIII-A. Safe Schools. Section 1302-A. Office for Safe Schools.

(c) In addition to the powers and duties set forth under subsection (b), the office is authorized to make targeted grants to school entities, and to intermediate units on behalf of nonpublic schools, to fund programs which address school violence, including: (8) Comprehensive, districtwide school safety, violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards plans, including revisions or updates to such plans and conducting emergency preparedness drills and related activities with local emergency responders.

Policy Type
Statute

Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Section 1517. Fire and Emergency Evacuation Drills.

(a) Except as provided under subsection (a.1), in all school buildings of school entities where fire-escapes, appliances for the extinguishment of fires, or proper and sufficient exits in case of fire or panic, either or all, are required by law to be maintained, fire drills shall be periodically conducted, not less than one a month, by the teacher or teachers in charge, under rules and regulations to be promulgated by the chief school administrator under whose supervision such school entities are. In such fire drills the pupils and teachers shall be instructed in, and made thoroughly familiar with, the use of the fire-escapes, appliances and exits. The drill shall include the actual use thereof, and the complete removal of the pupils and teachers, in an expeditious and orderly manner, by means of fire-escapes and exits, from the building to a place of safety on the ground outside. (a.1) Within ninety (90) days of the commencement of the school year after the effective date of this subsection and within ninety (90) days of the commencement of each school year thereafter, each school entity shall conduct one school security drill per school year in each school building in place of a fire drill required under subsection (a). After ninety (90) days from the commencement of each school year, each school entity may conduct two school security drills per school year in each school building in place of two fire drills required under subsection (a). All of the following shall apply: (1) The school security drill shall be conducted while the school entity is in session and students are present under policies adopted by the chief school administrator. (2) The chief school administrator or a designee shall oversee the instruction and training of students and school employees in the procedures to be used in the school security drill. (3) The chief school administrator shall notify and request assistance from the local law enforcement agency and emergency management agency before conducting the school security drill. (4) The chief school administrator shall provide notice of the school security drill in advance to parents and legal guardians of the students attending the school building for which the school security drill is scheduled. ... (e) On or before the tenth day of April of each year, each chief school administrator shall certify to the Department of Education that the emergency evacuation drills and school security drills herein required have been conducted in accordance with this section.

Policy Type
Statute