S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6829
I N S E N A T E
February 25, 2016
___________
Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to fire drills and lock-
down and shelter in place drills
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The section heading of section 807 of the education law, as
amended by chapter 765 of the laws of 1964, is amended to read as
follows:
Fire, SHELTER IN PLACE AND LOCKDOWN drills.
S 2. Subdivision 1 of section 807 of the education law, as amended by
chapter 143 of the laws of 1985, is amended and a new subdivision 1-b is
added to read as follows:
1. It shall be the duty of the principal or other person in charge of
every public or private school or educational institution within the
state, other than colleges or universities, to instruct and train the
pupils by means of drills, so that they may in a sudden emergency be
able to leave the school building in the shortest possible time and
without confusion or panic. Such drills or rapid dismissals shall be
held at least [twelve] EIGHT times in each school year, [eight] SIX of
which required drills shall be held between September first and December
first of each such year. At least one-third of all such required drills
shall be through use of the fire escapes on buildings where fire escapes
are provided. In the course of at least one such drill, pupils shall be
instructed in the procedure to be followed in the event that a fire
occurs during lunch period, provided however, that such additional
instruction may be waived where a drill is held during the regular
school lunch period. At least [four] TWO additional drills shall be held
in each school year during the hours after sunset and before sunrise in
school buildings in which students are provided with sleeping accommo-
dations. At least two additional drills shall be held during summer
school in buildings where summer school is conducted, and one of such
drills shall be held during the first week of summer school.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13907-01-6
S. 6829 2
1-B. IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE PRINCIPAL OR OTHER PERSON IN CHARGE
OF EVERY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL OR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION WITHIN THE
STATE, OTHER THAN COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES, TO INSTRUCT AND TRAIN PUPILS
BY MEANS OF DRILLS, SO THAT THEY MAY KNOW THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO BE
TAKEN IN AN EMERGENCY REQUIRING THEM TO REMAIN INSIDE OF A SCHOOL BUILD-
ING. SUCH LOCKDOWN DRILLS SHALL BE HELD AT LEAST TWO TIMES IN EACH
SCHOOL YEAR, ONE DRILL SHALL BE HELD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER FIRST AND DECEM-
BER FIRST OF EACH SUCH SCHOOL YEAR, AND AT LEAST ONE SUCH ADDITIONAL
DRILL SHALL BE HELD DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SUMMER SCHOOL. SUCH SHEL-
TER IN PLACE DRILLS SHALL BE HELD AT LEAST TWO TIMES IN EACH SCHOOL
YEAR, ONE SUCH DRILL SHALL BE HELD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER FIRST AND DECEMBER
FIRST OF EACH SUCH SCHOOL YEAR AND AT LEAST ONE SUCH ADDITIONAL DRILL
SHALL BE HELD DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SUMMER SCHOOL.
S 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.