Emergency Management Planning for Schools

2024-2025 School Safety Advisory: A memorandum in collaboration between the Department of Fire Services (DFS) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) providing assistance with fire drills and various emergency plans.

Laws and Regulations

• An Act Requiring Automated External Defibrillators in Schools, Chapter 443 of the Acts of 2016 (approved January 13, 2017).
  • Related Department Guidance
• An Act Relative to the Reduction of Gun Violence, Bill H. 4376, Section 7 (approved July 30, 2014).
• An Act Relative to Medical Emergency Response Plans for Schools, Chapter 77 of the Acts of 2012 (approved April 18, 2012, amended 2022)
• Multi-Hazard Evacuation Plans for Schools, Section 363 of Chapter 159 of the Acts of 2000

Also see DESE's Bullying Prevention and Intervention and Medical and Behavioral Health Emergency Response Plan web pages for additional information on school safety laws and regulations.

Additional Information and Resources

• Evidence Based Programs, Curricula and Practices
• Information for Families
• School Resource Officer MOU Information
• Resources
  • By Topic
  • From State Agencies
  • At the National Level
• View all

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Evidence Based Programs, Curricula and Practices

Please note that the following programs and links are provided as resources for schools and districts. School and district leaders have discretion to select evidence-based curricula and other resources that are not on the list. Local education officials should determine which school safety curricula and strategies are most appropriate for each school and grade they oversee, taking into account students' developmental stages, community contexts, and other factors.

• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
  CISA partners with educational institutions to make schools safer for students, staff and parents
• Readiness and Emergency Management in Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center
  Part of the U.S. Department of Education's initiative to support schools in the development of high-quality emergency operations plans (EOPs) and comprehensive emergency planning efforts.
• Multihazard Emergency Planning for Schools Toolkit
  Sample forms and checklists from the FEMA training, designed for school personnel and emergency planning partners.
• FEMA — Emergency Management Institute (EMI) School Program
  Online training, tools and resources available for emergency planning in schools.
• Youth Preparedness: A National Framework
  A collaboration between FEMA, Red Cross, and the U.S. Department of Education that provides guidelines and tools for youth preparedness programs.

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For more information or assistance, please contact:

The Office of Student and Family Support (SFS) via achievement@mass.gov or 781-338-3010.

Last Updated: November 15, 2024