§ 1481 — Fire and emergency preparedness drills

(a) Each school board in a district that operates a school shall adopt a policy mandating each school site to conduct options-based response drills at each school site in the fall and spring of each academic year. The policy shall require age-appropriate options-based response drills, including fire drills, to be conducted following the guidance issued by the Vermont School Safety Center jointly with the Vermont School Crisis Planning Team and shall require notification to parents and guardians not later than one school day before an options-based response drill is conducted. In issuing the guidance, the Vermont School Safety Center and the Vermont School Crisis Planning Team shall include trauma-informed best practices for implementing options-based response drills. A superintendent shall report completion of the biannual drills to the Agency of Education in a format approved by the Secretary.
(b) Each approved or recognized independent school or other educational institution, other than a university or college, shall adopt a policy mandating the school to conduct options-based response drills and fire drills in the fall and spring of each academic year, consistent with the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. The head of school shall report completion of the biannual drills to the Agency of Education in a format approved by the Secretary.
(c) A school district, independent school, or educational institution whose administrative personnel neglect to comply with the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than $500.00.
(d) Annually, the Vermont School Safety Center and Agency of Education shall review the reports submitted according to this section and shall ensure compliance and identify future planning and training needs. (Amended 1973, No. 214 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1991, No. 24, § 11; 2003, No. 16, § 2; 2003, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 1, 2005; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 136, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2023, No. 29, § 1, eff. August 1, 2023.)