The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
(Cite as: 16 V.S.A. § 1481)
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§ 1481. Fire and emergency preparedness drills
(a) Each school board in a district that operates a school shall adopt a policy mandating
each school site to conduct options-based response drills at each school site in the
fall and spring of each academic year. The policy shall require age-appropriate options-based
response drills, including fire drills, to be conducted following the guidance issued
by the Vermont School Safety Center jointly with the Vermont School Crisis Planning
Team and shall require notification to parents and guardians not later than one school
day before an options-based response drill is conducted. In issuing the guidance,
the Vermont School Safety Center and the Vermont School Crisis Planning Team shall
include trauma-informed best practices for implementing options-based response drills.
A superintendent shall report completion of the biannual drills to the Agency of Education
in a format approved by the Secretary.
(b) Each approved or recognized independent school or other educational institution, other
than a university or college, shall adopt a policy mandating the school to conduct
options-based response drills and fire drills in the fall and spring of each academic
year, consistent with the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. The head
of school shall report completion of the biannual drills to the Agency of Education
in a format approved by the Secretary.
(c) A school district, independent school, or educational institution whose administrative
personnel neglect to comply with the provisions of this section shall be fined not
more than $500.00.
(d) Annually, the Vermont School Safety Center and Agency of Education shall review the
reports submitted according to this section and shall ensure compliance and identify
future planning and training needs. (Amended 1973, No. 214 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1991, No. 24, § 11; 2003, No. 16, § 2; 2003, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 1, 2005; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 136, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2023, No. 29, § 1, eff. August 1, 2023.)