HOUSE BILL No. 4713

 

May 9, 2013, Introduced by Reps. Graves, Franz, Schmidt, Forlini and Rendon and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

     A bill to amend 1941 PA 207, entitled

 

"Fire prevention code,"

 

by amending section 19 (MCL 29.19), as amended by 2006 PA 337.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 19. (1) The chief administrative officer and the teachers

 

of all schools, including state supported schools, colleges, and

 

universities and the owner, or owner's representative, of all

 

school dormitories shall have a fire drill each month and ensure

 

unrestricted emergency egress during school hours and when the

 

school is open to the public. Each teacher in a school, including a

 

state supported school, college, or university and the owner or

 

owner's representative of a dormitory shall comply with these

 

requirements and keep a record of the drills.

 

     (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a minimum of 8 fire

 

drills is required for each school year. If weather conditions do


 

not permit fire drills to be held at least once a month, then at

 

least 5 fire drills shall be held in the fall of each year and 3

 

fire drills shall be held during the remaining part of the school

 

year.

 

     (3) A minimum of 6 fire drills is required for each school

 

year for a school that operates any of grades kindergarten to 12.

 

Four of the fire drills shall be held in the fall and 2 shall be

 

held during the remaining part of the school year.

 

     (4) A minimum of 2 tornado safety drills is required for each

 

school year at the schools and facilities described in subsection

 

(1). These drills shall be conducted for the purpose of preventing

 

fires and related hazards and injuries caused by severe weather.

 

     (5) A minimum of 2 drills in which the occupants are

 

restricted to the interior of the building and the building secured

 

is required for each school year at a school that operates any of

 

grades kindergarten to 12. A drill conducted under this subsection

 

shall include security measures that are appropriate to an

 

emergency such as the release of a hazardous material or the

 

presence of an armed individual on or near the premises. The drill

 

shall be conducted in coordination with the local emergency

 

management coordinator appointed under section 9 of the emergency

 

management act, 1976 PA 390, MCL 30.409, the county sheriff for the

 

county or the chief of police or fire chief for the municipality

 

where the school is located, or the designee of the sheriff, chief

 

of police, or fire chief and consistently with applicable federal,

 

state, and local emergency operations plans. The governing body of

 

a school shall seek input from the administration of the school on


 

the nature of the drills to be conducted under this subsection.

 

     (6) A school that operates any of grades kindergarten to 12

 

shall conduct some of the drills required by this section during

 

lunch and recess periods, or at other times when a significant

 

number of the students are gathered but not in the classroom.

 

     (7) For a public school that operates any of grades K to 12,

 

the governing body of the public school shall ensure that

 

documentation of a completed school safety drill is posted on its

 

website within 5 business days after the drill is completed and is

 

maintained on the website for at least 3 years. The documentation

 

posted on the website shall include at least all of the following:

 

     (a) The school year of the drill.

 

     (b) The date and time of the drill.

 

     (c) Whether the drill was a fire drill under subsection (3), a

 

tornado safety drill under subsection (4), or a "lockdown" drill

 

under subsection (5).

 

     (d) The number of completed drills for that school year for

 

each type of drill required under subsections (3) to (5).

 

     (e) The signature of the school principal or his or her

 

designee acknowledging the completion of the drill.

 

     (f) The name of the individual in charge of conducting the

 

drill.

 

     (8) (7) The state fire marshal, a fire chief, or a firefighter

 

in uniform acting under orders and directions of the fire chief may

 

cause fire drills to be held in school houses, school dormitories,

 

and other public buildings as the state fire marshal considers

 

advisable. The state fire marshal may order the installation of


 

other protective apparatus or equipment that conforms to recognized

 

and approved modern practices.

 

     (9) (8) The department of state police emergency management

 

division shall develop a model to be used by a school in

 

conducting, and by a local emergency management coordinator, county

 

sheriff, chief of police, fire chief, or designee of a sheriff,

 

chief of police, or fire chief in coordinating, a drill under

 

subsection (5).