• School Security drills are an exercise, other than a fire drill, to practice procedures that respond to an emergency situation including, but not limited to, a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, or active shooter situation and that is similar in duration to a fire drill.  
    • Every school is required to hold at least one fire drill and one school security drill each month within the school hours, including any summer months during which school is open for instructional programs.  
    • During the academic year schools are required to hold a minimum of two of each of the following security drills:  Active shooter; Evacuation (non-fire); Bomb threat; and Lockdown.
    • School districts have the ability to practice other types of drills as well.  For example, school districts can utilize: Shelter-in-place; Reverse evacuation; Evacuation to a relocation site; Testing of school's notification system and procedures; Testing of school's communication system and procedures; Tabletop exercise; and Full scale exercise.  
    • Per Chapter 4 of the New Jersey Fire Code; 408.3.1 First emergency evacuation drill.  The first emergency evacuation drills of each school year shall be conducted within 10 days of the beginning of classes.  
    • As of September 2011, schools are required to conduct a school security drill within the first 15 days of the beginning of the school year.  
    • All building occupants are required to participate in drills.  However, two (2) of the eight (8) mandatory drills do not have to include students.  
    • A School Security drill is similar in duration to a fire drill.
    • Please visit www.state.nj.us/education/schools/security/ in order to learn more about the different types of drills and general information from the New Jersey Department of Education regarding School Preparedness & Emergency Planning.
    • In early 2022, Governor Murphy signed a new law that states "A school district shall provide written notification to the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the district following completion of a school security drill, which notice shall be provided to the parent or guardian by no later than the end of the school day on which the school security drill is conducted."