No. 6114.1

INSTRUCTION

Series 6000

fire drills

Policy

It is the policy of the Board of Education that a fire drill shall be held in each school of the Region at least once each month.

Adopted:

5

October

1970

Revision Approved:

28

September

1998

                                                         No. 6114.1

INSTRUCTION

Series 6000

fire drills

administrative regulations

In accordance with the Connecticut General Statutes and with Board policies, each Principal shall provide for a fire drill to be held in his/her school(s) at least eight times per year.

All reports of such drills shall be prepared in duplicate and shall report date, time, and duration of such drill. One copy shall be filed in the Office of the Superintendent, and the second copy will be retained in the Office of the respective Principal.

Drills:

There shall be at least eight fire drills a year in schools through grade twelve.  In climates where the weather is severe during the winter months, weekly drills should be held at the beginning of the school term to complete the required number of drills before cold weather so as not to endanger the health of the pupils. 

Drills shall be executed at different hours of the day or evening, during the changing of classes, when the school is at assembly, during the recess or gymnastic periods, etc., so as to avoid distinction between drills and actual fires.  If a drill is called when the pupils are going up and down the stairways as during the time classes are changing, the pupils shall be instructed to form a file and immediately proceed to the nearest available exit in an orderly manner.

Every fire drill shall be an exercise in school management for the Principal and teachers, with the chief purpose of every drill having complete control of the class.

Monitors shall be appointed from the more mature pupils to assist in the proper execution of all drills.  They shall be instructed to hold open doors in the line of  march or to close doors where necessary to prevent spread of fire or smoke as per Section 29-41-5.19 (d).  There shall be at least two substitutes for each appointment as to provide for proper performance in case of absence of the regular monitors.  The searching of toilet or other rooms shall be the duty of the teachers or other members of the staff.  If the teachers are to do the searching, it should be done after they have joined their classes to the preceding line.

Each class or group shall proceed to a predetermined point outside the building and remain there while a check is made to see that all are accounted for, leaving only when a recall signal is given to return to the building or when dismissed.  Such points shall be sufficiently far away from the building and from each other as to avoid danger from a fire in the building, any interference with fire operations or any confusion between different classes or groups.

Signals:

1.

All fire exit drill alarms shall be sounded on the fire alarm system and not on the signal system used to dismiss classes.

2.

Whenever any of the school authorities determine that an actual fire exists, they shall immediately call the local fire department using the public fire alarm system or such other facilities as are available.

3.

The Principal or his designee shall decide when it is safe to re-enter the school and give the signal for that re-entry.

Inspection:

It shall be the duty of Principals and teachers to inspect all exit facilities daily in order to make sure that all stairways, doors, and other exits are in proper condition.

Open plan buildings require extra surveillance to ensure that exit paths are maintained clear of obstruction and are obvious.

Adopted:

5

October

1970

Revised:

7

February

1972

Revised:

28

October

1998