Every school in the East Greenbush Central School District practices a comprehensive set of safety drills in accordance with the District-wide Safety Plan and NYS Education Department regulations. This includes fire drills, lockdown drills, shelter-in-place drills, secured lockout drills, school bus safety drills, and an early dismissal drill.
As of September 2024, schools have new requirements to offer trauma-informed safety drills.
- Safety drills may only occur after training has been provided to students and staff each year. Training will be occurring in each of our schools in September and it will be provided in an age-appropriate manner.
- Parents/guardians will be notified of upcoming safety drills within two days of that scheduled drill and they will be notified once the drill is completed (notification is not required for fire drills).
- Safety drills will be announced to students and staff through the PA system prior to the start of a drill (existing fire code does not require advance notice of fire drills).
- Immediately following each safety drill, school staff will recap the drill with students and answer any questions.
- No more than one safety drill can be completed at a school on a given day.
Safety Drills
Drill | Number (Annually) | Description | Procedures |
Evacuation (Fire Drill) | 8 | Used to evacuate a school to a pre-designated safe location. | Students are escorted by staff out of the building quickly and quietly until it is clear to return. |
Lockdown* | 4 | Used to secure school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an immediate threat of violence in or around the school. | Immediately clear the hallways, lock doors, hide from view, and remain silent while readying a plan of evacuation as a last resort. Lockdown will only end upon physical release from the room or secured area by law enforcement. |
Secured Lockout | 2 | Used to secure school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an imminent concern outside of the school. | Any classes are immediately brought inside, all exterior windows are locked. Some visitors to the building may not be permitted inside the building. The school day continues as normal. |
Shelter in Place | 2 | Used to shelter students and staff inside the building. | Keeping students in school buildings and providing them with shelter. Stay away from windows. Instruction can continue. |
Hold in Place | As Needed | Used to limit movement of students and staff while dealing with short term emergencies. | Students and staff remain in their current location temporarily. Normal classroom activity may occur. |
Bus Safety | 3 | Used to teach students how to get on and off the bus safely. | Students learn about school bus safety from bus drivers, and they practice getting on and off the bus, how to cross the street in front of a bus, and how to exit the bus through the emergency exit door. |
Early Dismissal | 1 | Used to close school early (e.g., power outage). | Schools close early and students are transported by school bus to their emergency dismissal locations. |
* All lockdown drills include participation from law enforcement.
Note: Following each drill, there will be a debriefing to discuss the exercises and determine if changes need to be made to the emergency response plan. Notes will be taken to assist with the evaluation process.