This article originally appeared in the January 2024 Issue of Pasco Post.

School Safety Drills and Procedures

The Pasco County School District believes that our school safety drills are an integral part of creating a secure learning environment. Regular practice of these drills allows students and staff to be prepared for emergency situations, reducing panic, and ensuring a more efficient response. There are three main types of school safety drills: fire, active threat, and severe weather. Each of these drills serves a specific purpose in preparing students and staff for different types of emergency situations, thus contributing to an overall safer school experience. It should also be known that in addition to these drills schools are also conducting missing and endangered student drills, medical emergency drills and mass evacuation drills for large scale events.

Fire drills, also known as Emergency Egress Drills, must adhere to the Florida Prevention Code and must be conducted regularly throughout the school year. The focus on fire drills is to practice building evacuation procedures, ensuring that students and staff are aware of the quickest and safest routes to exit the building in case of a fire.

Active Threat drills are required to be conducted by Florida Statute and must be conducted regularly during the school year. The primary purpose of these drills is to teach our staff and students the various response protocols if a threat was to appear on campus. Two of the most important things taught to our students and staff are to either stay in place and barricade in a classroom or office or flee to safety off school property.

Severe weather drills prepare our students and staff on the appropriate response protocols in the event of severe weather emergencies, such as tornados. Students and staff are trained to relocate to a safe interior location and duck and cover.

Each type of drill plays a crucial role in maintaining school safety, and by regularly practicing these drills, schools can foster a sense of preparedness and security among students and staff. A key aspect of our drills, specifically our threat-related drills, is that they are designed to be age appropriate, so they do not invoke fear, requiring multiple versions for the target audience. Each drill also requires an after-action report where feedback is recorded to enhance the effectiveness of the drills and make needed improvements. Our goal is to ensure that everyone is well-prepared and knowledgeable in the event of a real emergency.