Reminder: School Safety Drill Requirements

Michigan’s Fire Prevention Code (FPC) requires each general powers school district, intermediate school district, and public school academy operating any of grades K through 12 to conduct fire, tornado, and lockdown drills.

2025-26 Requirements

During the 2025-26 school year, a school must, at a minimum, conduct the following drills:

• 5 fire drills, with at least 3 held by December 1, and the other 2 conducted during the remainder of the school year with a reasonable interval between the drills;
• 2 tornado drills, with at least 1 held in March; and
• 3 lockdown drills, with at least 1 conducted by December 1, and at least 1 after January 1.

One of the drills listed (either fire, tornado, or lockdown) must take place “during either lunch or recess period, or at another time when a significant number of the students are gathered but not in a classroom.” By September 15, the school’s chief administrator (i.e., the superintendent) must provide a list of the scheduled drill days to the county emergency management coordinator.

Lockdown Drills

During a lockdown drill, students and staff must be restricted to the interior of the school building. The drill must include security measures that are appropriate to “an emergency,” such as the release of a hazardous material or the presence of a potentially dangerous individual in or near the school building.

The school board must seek input from school administration and local public safety officials on the nature of the drills. State and local police may, but are not required to, participate.

Rescheduling Drills

The FPC allows a school’s chief administrator to reschedule a safety drill due to conditions not within the control of school authorities (e.g., severe storms, fires, epidemics, utility power unavailability, water or sewer failure, or health conditions, as defined by public health authorities). A canceled safety drill must be rescheduled to occur within 10 school days after the original date, and the school’s chief administrator must notify the county emergency management coordinator of the rescheduled date.

Posting

Within 30 school days after conducting a safety drill, school officials must post documentation on the school’s website that the drill occurred. The school’s website must display this information for at least three years. Documentation must include the:

• school name;
• school year;
• drill date, time, and type;
• number of completed drills to date for that drill type;
• school principal’s or designee’s signature acknowledging the drill; and
• name of the person who conducted the drill, if not the school principal.

Failing to conduct the required safety drills is a violation of the FPC and is punishable as a misdemeanor. The upcoming September 15 scheduling deadline is fast approaching. Be sure to also contact the county emergency management coordinator about recommended practices for conducting drills.