New York Laws
Article 17 - Instruction in Certain Subjects
807 - Fire and Emergency Drills.

§ 807. Fire and emergency drills. 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 respond appropriately in
the shortest possible time and without confusion or panic. Such drills
shall be held at least twelve times in each school year, eight of which
required drills shall be held between September first and December
thirty-first of each such year. Eight of all such drills shall be
evacuation drills, four of which shall be through use of the fire
escapes on buildings where fire escapes are provided or through the use
of identified secondary means of egress. Four of all such required
drills shall be lock-down drills. Drills shall be conducted at different
times of the school day. Pupils shall be instructed in the procedure to
be followed in the event that a fire occurs during the lunch period or
assembly, provided however, that such additional instruction may be
waived where a drill is held during the regular school lunch period or
assembly. Four 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 accommodations. 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.

1-a. In the case of after-school programs, events or performances
which are conducted within a school building and which include persons
who do not regularly attend classes in such school building, the
principal or other person in charge of the building shall require the
teacher or person in charge of such after-school program, event or
performance to notify persons in attendance at the beginning of each
such program, event or performance, of the procedures to be followed in
the event of an emergency so that they may be able to respond in a
timely, orderly manner.

2. It shall be the duty of the board of education or school board or
other body having control of the schools in any district or city to
cause a copy of this section to be printed in the manual or handbook
prepared for the guidance of teachers, where such manual or handbook is
in use or may hereafter come into use.

3. It shall be the duty of the person in charge of every public or
private college or university within the state, to instruct and train
the students by means of drills, so that they may in a sudden emergency
be able to leave the college or university building in the shortest
possible time and without confusion or panic. Such drills shall be held
at least three times in each year, one of which required drills shall be
held between September first and December first of each such year. In
buildings where summer sessions are conducted, one of such required
drills shall be held during the first week of such summer session. At
least one of such required drills shall be through use of the fire
escapes on buildings where fire escapes are provided. At least one
additional drill shall be held in each year during the hours after
sunset and before sunrise in college or university buildings in which
students are provided with sleeping accommodations.

4. Neglect by any principal or other person in charge of any public or
private school or educational institution to comply with the provisions
of this section shall be a misdemeanor punishable at the discretion of
the court by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars; such fine to be paid to
the pension fund of the local fire department where there is such a
fund.