By October, most schools have completed their first required round of emergency drills — and staff are already feeling “drill fatigue.” But according to school safety best practices and trauma-informed guidance, how we conduct drills matters just as much as meeting compliance requirements.

This month is the perfect time to pause and evaluate:

• Are drills clearly communicated to staff in advance?
• Are we emphasizing calm procedural readiness over stress?
• Are students receiving age-appropriate instructions?
• Are we using drills to build confidence — or anxiety?

3 quick reminders to reinforce safety readiness this month:

• Pre-brief + Debrief. Always tell staff the drill type ahead of time and allow time afterward for feedback. Processing → retention → confidence.
• Assign rotating drill roles. Switch who leads doors, rosters, radios, etc. This builds redundancy and readiness.
• Document everything. NYSED (and many other states) require drill logs including time, type of drill, and staff involved.

Drills are not about perfection — they’re about progress and preparedness.

Try this reflection question during your next staff meeting:

“If today’s drill happened during lunch, class change, or while outdoors — what would we do differently?”

Encourage teams to talk through real-life scenarios so procedures feel adaptable, not rigid.