School Evacuation Plan Checklist

Walk every wing with the custodial supervisor and confirm primary and secondary egress for each classroom. Routes must avoid choke points (single stairwells, propped fire doors) and account for after-hours zones where some exits are locked from the inside.

Pick a primary on-site assembly point at least 50 feet from the building and a secondary off-site point within walking distance (typically a partner church, library, or rec center with a written MOU). Off-site reunification is required when the building itself is unsafe to re-enter.

Most jurisdictions require the Comprehensive School Safety Plan (or state equivalent) to be reviewed and signed off by the AHJ before the school year starts. Bring the route maps, marshal assignments, and last year's after-action notes to the meeting.

Two marshals per wing — primary and backup — so coverage holds during sub days. Marshals are responsible for sweeping bathrooms, closets, and the nurse's office before clearing the wing.

Use the Incident Command System framework: Incident Commander (typically the principal), Operations (assistant principal), Logistics (office manager), and Liaison (counselor) for parent contact. Document who covers each role when the primary is absent.

Each teacher carries a current class roster pulled from the SIS (PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, Skyward) on the day of evacuation. Office staff bring the visitor sign-in log and the absent-student list. Reconciliation happens at the assembly point, not at the door.

Office manager owns the grab-and-go bin for active cum files, medication logs, and the daily attendance roster. FERPA still applies during an evacuation — the bin should not be left unattended at the assembly point.

Pull the SPED roster from the IEP system (Frontline IEP, SEAS, IEP Direct) and tag any student with mobility, sensory, or behavioral needs that affect evacuation. Profiles go into the teacher's emergency folder — never in a shared drive without ACL controls.

School nurse confirms expiration dates on EpiPens, rescue inhalers, glucagon, and seizure rescue meds. Each go-bag matches the student's current order set. Replace anything expiring within the next 90 days.

Any student with a mobility impairment on a floor without ground-level egress needs a stairway evacuation chair (Evac+Chair, Garaventa) and at least two staff trained to operate it. Check IEP and 504 plans for documented mobility accommodations.

Mount chairs at the top of each upper-floor stairwell with the operating instructions visible. Train two primary operators per chair plus one backup; log the training in the staff PD record.

Cellular networks fail in mass-incident scenarios. Each marshal post needs a charged two-way radio on the school's safety channel plus a hand bullhorn. Rotate batteries monthly.

Make a live test call to the non-emergency dispatch line from the front office and the principal's cell. Confirm the school's address, gate codes, and Knox Box location are current in CAD.

Walk the off-site location with the host facility's manager. Confirm sign-out tables, ID-check stations, and a separated area for media. Reunification follows the Standard Reunification Method (I Love U Guys Foundation) — release only to adults on the emergency contact list with photo ID.

Draft messages for evacuation in progress, all-clear, and reunification location. Include Spanish translations and a phone-tree fallback for families without smartphone access — equity gap that bites every district that goes app-only.

Cover the plan in opening-week PD and again at the first staff meeting after winter break. Substitutes get a one-page summary in the sub folder. Document attendance for state-mandated training compliance.

Most states require monthly drills in the first month and quarterly thereafter — verify your state code. Time the evacuation, observe choke points, and note any classroom that didn't sweep its bathroom.

At least once per year, evacuate beyond the on-site assembly point to the off-site reunification location. Coordinate with local PD for traffic control and with parent volunteers to simulate the reunification flow.

Capture each gap with an owner and a deadline — locked exit, missing roster, slow stairwell, marshal absence. Re-train the affected staff and schedule a follow-up spot drill within 30 days.

Submit to the district safety officer and retain a signed copy in the school's safety binder. State auditors and insurance carriers ask for these during site visits — missing reports are a finding.