Senator Libby Applauds Education Committee’s Unanimous Approval of Bill to Better Prepare Schools for Emergency Drills

AUGUSTA – In response to tragedies in schools around the nation, Senator Nate Libby of Lewiston introduced legislation this session to require Maine schools to be better prepared in the event of an emergency.

The bill, “Resolve, Directing the Department of Education To Amend the School Emergency Drill Rules,” gained unanimous approval from the Legislature’s committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. It would ask all Maine schools to conduct lockdown drills in addition to their current practice of conducting fire drills, while keeping the current required number of emergency drills the same.

According to the Education Commission of the States in 2013, twenty states required schools to conduct lockdown drills. Since then, several more states have been prompted to consider requiring schools conduct lockdown drills.

“As difficult as it is to imagine any kind of tragic event happening in our schools, I believe that students, teachers, school staff, parents, and public safety officials would benefit from this sort of preparedness,” said Senator Libby. “Being prepared can save lives and this is a matter of ‘plan for the worst but hope for the best.’”

Senator Libby also acknowledged the challenges to school districts if this bill were to become law, citing school time constraints, possible costs to municipalities, and the anxiety or fear any drills may cause. But he cautioned that these concerns would be less significant compared to the benefits of this practice, and that local school districts and local public safety officials can find the right balance of fire drills and lockdown drills to avoid taking any more classroom time away from instruction.

“As policymakers we must weigh upsides and downsides with each piece of legislation that crosses our desks, no matter how difficult or controversial they may be,” said Senator Libby, adding, “I truly believe this is the right thing to do.”

On Wednesday, the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee agreed. It unanimously supported the bill’s passage. The bill will now go before the Senate and House of Representatives for their consideration.

In addition to Senator Libby’s efforts, the bill was supported at the public hearing by the Maine Department of Education, Maine Fire Chiefs Association, Maine School Management Association, Maine Education Association, and Lewiston Public Schools.

A copy of LD 97 can be found here.