Outline of the state of Ohio
State
Ohio
Required, with regular reviews and updates

Category
Emergency Operations Plans

Category
Emergency Operations Plans

State law requires districts to develop school emergency operations plans (EOPs) that include procedures for plan review and update.

Ohio Administrative Code 3301-5-01 Requirements for the emergency management plan and test.

The purpose of this rule is to define the requirements, content, and format of emergency management plan and the emergency management test as required by section 3313.536 of the Revised Code.

(A) The emergency management plan and information required pursuant to division (B) of section 3313.536 of the Revised Code shall be submitted on standardized forms developed and made available by the department of education. Each comprehensive emergency mangement plan shall consist of four parts, including:

  • (1) The emergency operations plan shall consist of a single document to address all-hazards that may negatively impact the school; including but not limited to active shooter, hostage, bomb threat, act of terrorism, bullying, and any other natural or manmade events that the administrator knew or should have reasonably known about that compromise the health or safety of students, employees, administrators, or property. A hazard identification and risk analysis shall be included.
  • (a) The plan shall be an all-hazards emergency operations plan organized around five mission areas: prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. The plan shall be compliant with the "National Incident Management System" (NIMS);
  • (b) The plan shall incorporate the access and functional needs of the students, teachers, and staff;
  • (c) The plan shall incorporate education for students, staff, and administrators to avoid, deter, or stop an imminent crime or safety issue, threatened or actual;
  • (d) The plan may include use of temporary door locking devices, when approved by the building official and noted on the certificate of occupancy only in school buildings where the requirements of section 1008.1.9.11 of the NIMS are met and as outlined in rule 4101:1-10-01 of the Administrative Code;
  • (e) The plan shall be updated and revised at least every three years from the previous date of compliance to reflect lessons learned and best practices to continually improve the plan. The emergency management test and actual emergencies at the school buildings will be a source for lessons learned; and
  • (f) The plan shall include procedures for notifying law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management, mental health, and other outside experts who could assist in responding to and recovering from an emergency.
  • (2) A floor plan that is unique to each floor of the building;
  • (3) A site-plan that includes all building property and surrounding property; and
  • (4) An emergency contact information sheet.
Policy Type
Regulation

Ohio Revised Code 3313.536 School emergency management plans.

(D)

(1) Not later than the first day of July of each year, each administrator shall review the emergency management plan and certify to the department of education that the plan is current and accurate.

Policy Type
Statute

Ohio Revised Code 3313.536 School emergency management plans.

B) (1) Each administrator shall develop and adopt a comprehensive emergency management plan, in accordance with rules adopted by the state board of education pursuant to division (F) of this section, for each building under the administrator’s control. The administrator shall examine the environmental conditions and operations of each building to determine potential hazards to student and staff safety and shall propose operating changes to promote the prevention of potentially dangerous problems and circumstances. In developing the plan for each building, the administrator shall involve community law enforcement and safety officials, parents of students who are assigned to the building, and teachers and nonteaching employees who are assigned to the building. The administrator shall incorporate remediation strategies into the plan for any building where documented safety problems have occurred. (2) Each administrator shall also incorporate into the emergency management plan adopted under division (B)(1) of this section all of the following: (a) A protocol for addressing serious threats to the safety of property, students, employees, or administrators; (b) A protocol for responding to any emergency events that occur and compromise the safety of property, students, employees, or administrators. This protocol shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (i) A floor plan that is unique to each floor of the building; (ii) A site plan that includes all building property and surrounding property; (iii) An emergency contact information sheet. (3) Each protocol described in divisions (B)(2)(a) and (b) of this section shall include procedures determined to be appropriate by the administrator for responding to threats and emergency events, respectively, including such things as notification of appropriate law enforcement personnel, calling upon specified emergency response personnel for assistance, and informing parents of affected students. Prior to the opening day of each school year, the administrator shall inform each student or child enrolled in the school and the student’s or child’s parent of the parental notification procedures included in the protocol. (4) Each administrator shall keep a copy of the emergency management plan adopted pursuant to this section in a secure place. (C) (1) The administrator shall submit to the department of education, in accordance with rules adopted by the state board of education pursuant to division (F) of this section, an electronic copy of the emergency management plan prescribed by division (B) of this section not less than once every three years, whenever a major modification to the building requires changes in the procedures outlined in the plan, and whenever information on the emergency contact information sheet changes. (2) The administrator also shall file a copy of the plan with each law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the school building and, upon request, to any of the following: (a) The fire department that serves the political subdivision in which the building is located; (b) The emergency medical service organization that serves the political subdivision in which the building is located; (c) The county emergency management agency for the county in which the building is located. (3) Upon receipt of an emergency management plan, the department of education shall submit the information in accordance with rules adopted by the state board of education pursuant to division (F) of this section, to both of the following: (a) The attorney general, who shall post that information on the Ohio law enforcement gateway or its successor; (b) The director of public safety, who shall post the information on the contact and information management system. (4) Any department or entity to which copies of an emergency management plan are filed under this section shall keep the copies in a secure place. (D) (1) Not later than the first day of July of each year, each administrator shall review the emergency management plan and certify to the department of education that the plan is current and accurate. (2) Anytime that an administrator updates the emergency management plan pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section, the administrator shall file copies, not later than the tenth day after the revision is adopted and in accordance with rules adopted by the state board pursuant to division (F) of this section, to the department of education and to any entity with which the administrator filed a copy under division (C)(2) of this section. (E) Each administrator shall do both of the following: (1) Prepare and conduct at least one annual emergency management test, as defined in division (A)(2) of this section, in accordance with rules adopted by the state board pursuant to division (F) of this section; (2) Grant access to each building under the control of the administrator to law enforcement personnel and to entities described in division (C)(2) of this section, to enable the personnel and entities to hold training sessions for responding to threats and emergency events affecting the building, provided that the access occurs outside of student instructional hours and the administrator, or the administrator’s designee, is present in the building during the training sessions. (F) The state board of education, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules regarding emergency management plans under this section, including the content of the plans and procedures for filing the plans. The rules shall specify that plans and information required under division (B) of this section be submitted on standardized forms developed by the department of education for such purpose. The rules shall also specify the requirements and procedures for emergency management tests conducted pursuant to division (E)(1) of this section. Failure to comply with the rules may result in discipline pursuant to section 3319.31 of the Revised Code or any other action against the administrator as prescribed by rule. (G) Division (B) of section 3319.31 of the Revised Code applies to any administrator who is subject to the requirements of this section and is not exempt under division (H) of this section and who is an applicant for a license or holds a license from the state board pursuant to section 3319.22 of the Revised Code. (H) The superintendent of public instruction may exempt any administrator from the requirements of this section, if the superintendent determines that the requirements do not otherwise apply to a building or buildings under the control of that administrator. (I) Copies of the emergency management plan and information required under division (B) of this section are security records and are not public records pursuant to section 149.433 of the Revised Code. In addition, the information posted to the contact and information management system, pursuant to division (C)(3)(b) of this section, is exempt from public disclosure or release in accordance with sections 149.43, 149.433, and 5502.03 of the Revised Code.

Policy Type
Statute

Ohio Revised Code 3737.73 Safety drills or rapid dismissals; tornado safety precautions; inspections, warnings.

(D) (1) (a) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall conduct school safety drills at least three times during the school year, pursuant to division (E) of this section, to provide pupils with instruction in the procedures to follow in situations where pupils must be secured in the school building or rapidly evacuated in response to a threat to the school involving an act of terrorism; a person possessing a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance, as defined in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code, on school property; or other act of violence. At least one safety drill shall include a scenario where pupils must be secured in the school building rather than rapidly evacuated. Each safety drill shall be conducted in conjunction with the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer, or designee, of the municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district in which the school or institution is located, or, in absence of any such person, the county sheriff of the county, or designee, in which the school or institution is located. (b) In addition to the three safety drills described in division (D)(1)(a) of this section, the principal or person in charge shall conduct a theoretical school safety drill at least once during the school year to provide all faculty and staff employed by the school or institution with instruction in the procedures to follow in such situations. The theoretical drill does not need to include student participation and may be conducted at the annual training session required by division (D)(3) of this section. (c) All safety drills required under division (D) of this section shall be conducted pursuant to the district’s or school’s emergency management plan adopted under section 3313.536 of the Revised Code. (2) (a) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall provide to the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district in which the school or institution is located, or, in absence of any such person, the county sheriff of the county in which the school or institution is located advance written notice of each school safety drill required under division (D)(1) of this section and shall keep a written record of the date and time of each drill conducted. The advance notice shall be provided not later than seventy-two hours prior to the date the drill will be conducted and shall include the date and time the drill will be conducted and the address of the school or educational institution. The notice shall be provided by mail, facsimile, or electronic submission. (b) Not later than the fifth day of December each year, the principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall provide written certification by mail, facsimile, or electronic submission of the date and time each school safety drill required under division (D)(1) of this section was conducted during the previous school year, as well as the date and time each drill will be conducted during the current school year, to the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district in which the school or institution is located, or, in the absence of any such person, the county sheriff of the county in which the school or institution is located. If such certification is not provided, the principal or person in charge of the school or institution shall be considered to have failed to meet this requirement and shall be subject to division (D)(4) of this section. (3) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall hold annual training sessions for employees of the school or institution regarding the conduct of school safety drills. (4) The police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer of a municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district, or, in the absence of any such person, the county sheriff shall issue a warning to any person found in violation of division (D)(1) of this section. Each warning issued for a violation of division (D)(1) of this section shall require the principal or person in charge of the school or institution to correct the violation by conducting a school safety drill not later than the thirtieth day after the date the warning is issued. The violation shall not be considered corrected unless, not later than forty days after the date the warning is issued, the principal or person in charge of the school or institution provides written certification of the date and time this drill was conducted, as well as the date and time each remaining drill will be conducted during the current school year, to the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer or county sheriff who issued the warning. (5) No person shall fail to correct violations by the date indicated on a warning issued under division (D)(4) of this section. (E) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall conduct at least one drill or rapid dismissal required under division (A) or (F) of this section, whichever is applicable, or one school safety drill required under division (D) of this section during each month of the school year. However, the principal or person in charge may determine the exact date and time that each drill will be conducted. A drill or rapid dismissal under division (A) or (F) of this section may be conducted during the same month as a school safety drill under division (D) of this section. (F) If a public or private school or educational institution does not currently have smoke detectors, as defined in section 3781.104 of the Revised Code, or a sprinkler system in all classroom buildings of the school, the principal or person in charge of the school or educational institution shall conduct drills or rapid dismissals at least nine times during the school year, pursuant to division (E) of this section, which shall be at the times and frequency prescribed in rules adopted by the fire marshal. At the discretion of the principal or person in charge of the school or institution, drills conducted under this division may be combined with drills conducted under division (D) of this section, so long as at least one drill conducted under that division provides pupils with instruction in the procedures to follow in situations where pupils must be secured in the school building rather than rapidly evacuated.

History

Policy Type
Statute