Lockdown Shelter Evacuation

Lockdown / Shelter / Evacuation

Lockdown / Shelter / Evacuation

Paraprofessional Best Practice Library

Brief 16.08

Lockdown / Shelter / Evacuation

Pre-planning and in-the-moment response with students with disabilities

For paraprofessionals supporting students through emergency drills and real events

Why this brief

Schools run drills regularly — fire, lockdown, severe weather, sometimes earthquake or other regional risks. Most students manage drills without significant difficulty. Students with disabilities often do not. Mobility limits, sensory sensitivities, communication challenges, anxiety, trauma history, and cognitive differences all interact with the surprise, noise, and uncertainty of a drill (or a real event). The standard "go to the corner, be silent, wait for all-clear" doesn't translate easily for a student with significant motor disability, autism, or cognitive limits.

This brief covers the practical work: pre-planning so emergencies don't catch you flat-footed; the standard procedures and their accommodations; how to support specific students through specific scenarios; what to do when the standard plan doesn't fit; and how to handle the aftermath — both the student's recovery and your own. Brief 05.11 covers behavioral crisis (the in-classroom kind); this brief is for building-wide emergencies.

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| The frameEmergency procedures are designed for the typical student. Students with disabilities have legal rights to comparable safety. The team's job is to figure out, in advance, how this student gets to safety in this scenario — and to drill that plan so it works under stress. Improvising during a real event is dangerous. Planning is the work. |

Who this brief is for

Paras supporting students with disabilities across the day

Inclusion paras whose students are in gen-ed during drills and emergencies

Personal-care paras supporting students with significant mobility needs

Paras supporting students with sensory or anxiety sensitivities

Supervising teachers, admins, and security staff building inclusive emergency plans

Types of emergencies

Common drills and the events they prepare for:

| Type | What it means | Common procedure |

| :-: | :-: | :-: |

| Fire | Evacuate the building | Single tone or alarm; exit via designated route; assemble at designated outdoor location |

| Lockdown / lockout | Threat outside the building (lockout) or inside (lockdown); secure in place | Lock doors, turn off lights, move out of sight, silence; some districts use Run/Hide/Fight model |

| Shelter in place | Move to a designated safe area within the building | Often used for severe weather, environmental hazard, civil disturbance |

| Tornado / severe weather | Move to designated severe-weather areas (interior, low, away from windows) | Drop to crouched position with arms over head; remain until all-clear |

| Earthquake (regional) | Drop, cover, hold on | Get under desk; protect head and neck; stay until shaking stops |

| Bus accident / incident | Procedure varies | Follow driver/aide direction |

| Medical emergency | Per medical protocols | Call nurse/911; clear area; provide first aid as trained |

| Reunification / dismissal in emergency | Gather and release students to families safely | Often held at a different location than the school |

Drill frequency

Most states require:

Multiple fire drills per year (often 4-10)

Lockdown drills (varies; some states require 1-3)

Severe weather drills where regionally relevant

Documented review of emergency plans annually

Pre-planning for students with disabilities

Most issues with students during emergencies come from inadequate pre-planning. Things that should be sorted out before drills, not during them:

Each student's specific plan

Who is the primary adult for this student during emergencies?

What's the route?

What equipment goes — AAC, mobility, medical?

What's the assembly location?

Who's the backup if the primary adult isn't available?

Who else needs to know about the plan? (Substitutes, all teachers, custodian)

Mobility considerations

Wheelchair users: which routes? Stairs are not options in fires (elevators may not be either)

Walker users: how much distance can they cover? At what pace?

Students who tire easily: where does fatigue become a safety issue?

Multi-floor buildings: stairwell evacuation chairs available?

Areas of refuge designated and marked?

Sensory considerations

Alarm intensity: many students with sensory sensitivities are overwhelmed

Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones available and accessible?

Visual signals as supplement or alternative to audio?

Specific predictable warning before drills (when possible) for students who pre-plan helps

Communication considerations

AAC accessible during emergencies (battery, position, portability)?

How does the student communicate distress, confusion, needs during the event?

How do you communicate with them during high-stress, high-noise moments?

Pre-taught signals or scripts

Medical considerations

Diabetic students: glucose tabs, monitor accessible?

Seizure plan known and supplies present?

Asthma inhalers carried or accessible?

Medication scheduled to be given during what would be the lockdown duration?

Tube feeding equipment, suction, oxygen — what does the student need within how many hours?

Behavioral considerations

Students with elopement risk (brief 05.16): what's the plan?

Students who melt down under unpredictability: what supports?

Students with trauma histories triggered by sirens, locked rooms, hidden environments?

Students whose typical de-escalation tools (movement, music) won't be available?

Pre-teaching

Practice drills with each specific student in advance

Social Stories about what will happen

Walk routes calmly so the student knows them

Practice the position (drop and cover, lockdown silent)

Watch for what stresses the student and adjust the plan

Fire evacuation

Standard procedure

Alarm sounds

Teacher leads class out via designated route

Student should not stop for belongings

Assembly at outdoor location, attendance check

Stay until all-clear or evacuation extends

For students with disabilities

Mobility-limited students

Pre-identified route — wheelchair-accessible exits, ramps

Assigned adult to assist (you or another)

If no ground-floor exit, area of refuge near a stairwell with two-way communication; firefighters evacuate from there

Evacuation chairs (stair chairs designed to slide a person down stairs) available and trained on

Time the drill for the student — does the route work in real time?

Sensory-sensitive students

Earplugs / headphones immediately accessible (in their backpack, on their chair, in your pocket)

Pre-warning if drill (when policy allows)

Calm narrate: "This is a drill. We're going outside. We're walking together."

Cover one ear with hands as a strategy for some students

Students with communication challenges

AAC goes with you — strapped, in a bag, on the chair

Pre-taught simple phrases: "I need help," "Where's mom?"

Visual schedule pulled to show the new sequence (drill, outside, wait)

Students with elopement risk

Hand-holding or proximity for the duration

Pre-determined safe spot to stay in at assembly area

Brief 05.16 covers elopement specifically

Students with anxiety or trauma

Co-regulating presence; calm narration

Familiar adult — same one each drill if possible

Comfort items if helpful and safe

Real fire vs. drill

In a real fire, the same plan applies but speed and seriousness matter more

Don't go back for belongings, even AAC, if it's down a smoke-filled hall

Get to fresh air

Account for everyone at assembly

Lockdown

Lockdown drills prepare for situations where there's a threat in or near the building. Procedures vary by district. The most common framework is the ALICE or Run-Hide-Fight approach, though traditional lockdown (lock and silence) is still used in many places.

Standard procedure

Alert sounds or announcement

Lock door, turn off lights

Move out of sight (away from windows, into corner or covered area)

Silence — including phones

Wait for verified all-clear from admin or police

For students with disabilities

Students who can't be quiet

Some students vocalize, cry, or scream involuntarily under stress

Pre-plan: where in the room offers most sound containment?

Comfort items (specific stuffie, weighted blanket)

Calming proximity from a familiar adult

Don't shame for noise — focus on minimizing risk

In real events, this may be the determining factor in whether to relocate

Mobility-limited students

Where is the safest hidden spot accessible to a wheelchair?

Can the student transfer out of a wheelchair if needed?

Can the wheelchair be moved out of sight from the door window?

Plan in advance

Sensory considerations

Lights off may be the most distressing element for some students

Crowded silent space may overwhelm

Pre-prep with social story; allow comfort items

Students with elopement

Lockdown is the worst possible environment for elopement risk

Adult on the door; student in interior position

Pre-taught "freeze" or "stay close" routine

Communication during lockdown

Whisper or AAC at lowest volume

Pre-taught signals — finger to lips, hand on heart for "I'm scared," thumbs up for "I'm okay"

Visual cards if possible

Bathroom needs

Lockdowns can last hours in real events

Plan: where is bathroom in the secured area? What if there isn't one?

Diapering students may need supplies in the lockdown space

Older students with bladder concerns may need accommodation discussion

Medical needs

Medication schedules during long lockdown

Insulin pumps, feeding pumps, oxygen — accessible?

Plan: what if the lockdown runs through a typical med time?

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| ALICE / Run-Hide-FightSome districts have shifted from traditional lockdown to ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) or Run-Hide-Fight protocols. These add the option of evacuating or actively defending in some scenarios. They're controversial and require specific training. Know your district's specific approach. The "counter / fight" element doesn't generally apply to elementary-age students or students with significant disabilities; the run/evacuate option requires planning specific to mobility-limited students. |

Shelter in place / Severe weather

Standard procedure

Move to interior, low, away-from-windows location

For tornado: drop to crouched position, arms over head

Remain until all-clear

For students with disabilities

Mobility-limited students

Crouched-on-floor position may not be possible

Lowest possible position the student can manage

Wheelchair against an interior wall, away from windows

Cover with blankets if available for added protection

Sensory considerations

Crowded interior spaces (hallways) often overwhelming

Designated wider position if possible

Familiar adult, calming items

Communication and timing

Severe weather sometimes lasts long enough that meds, food, bathroom matter

Have basic supplies in classroom emergency kit (water, snacks, basic supplies)

Reunification and evacuation off-site

Some emergencies require leaving the building entirely — to a designated reunification site (often a nearby school, community center, or church). Considerations:

Logistics

Transportation to the site — buses, walking, or staying put?

How long will it take?

What does the student need for that duration?

For students with disabilities

Mobility equipment goes with the student (wheelchair, walker)

Medical equipment essential for the duration

AAC for communication at the site

Comfort items for unfamiliar environment

Identification (some students cannot identify themselves; medical alert info or wristbands help)

Reunification

Family check-in often involves verification

For students with cognitive disabilities or non-speaking students, identifying their family-member match may not be possible by them — adult verification matters

Stress on the student during this delay; co-regulating presence helps

Classroom emergency kit

Many classrooms have a "go bag" with basics. For students with disabilities, supplement with:

AAC backup (low-tech communication board)

Sensory tools (fidgets, headphones, small comfort items)

Specific medical supplies (epi-pen, glucose, inhaler) if not always carried

Spare diapers / clothing for students who need them

Snacks and water

Family contact information

Student identification with critical medical info

Drills — making them work

Pre-drill prep

Use a Social Story before each drill type, especially the first time

Walk the route in advance, calmly

Discuss what will happen, what the student should do, what you'll do

Practice the position (lockdown crouching, severe-weather drop)

Address fears specifically

During the drill

Stay with the student

Calm narration: "This is the drill. We're walking now. Almost there."

Use pre-planned supports (headphones, AAC, comfort items)

Note what works and what doesn't

After the drill

Debrief with the student briefly: "How was that? Anything we should change?"

Note observations for the team

Adjust the plan if needed for next time

Comfort the student if they're shaken; allow recovery time

Drilling specifically with students who can't drill standardly

Some students have such severe sensory or anxiety responses that full drills harm them

Modified versions can work — pre-teaching, practice without alarm, sensory-friendly drills

In some cases, the student remains in a separate space during drills for accommodation

Document accommodations; family input matters

If it's not a drill

Most events are drills. Some aren't. The principles are the same; the stakes are higher.

How to know

Drills are usually pre-announced to staff (varies by district)

Real events often involve real-time information from admin via PA, radio, or phone

"Code \[color\]" or specific announcements indicate real vs. drill in some districts

Sometimes you don't know — treat as real until told otherwise

Real-event differences

Speed matters more

Information may be limited or changing

Communication channels may be overloaded

Family members will arrive at the school or call frantically

Students will pick up on adult tension

Recovery — for students and staff — is bigger

Specific high-stakes real events

Active shooter or armed intruder

Run-Hide-Fight or ALICE protocols if district uses them

Most districts: lockdown is primary, with evacuation if safer

Don't open the door for anyone except verified emergency response

Account for every student

This is the worst-case scenario; planning matters most for these

Bomb threat or suspicious package

Evacuation typically; police and admin direct

Don't touch suspicious items

Move quickly to designated location

Medical emergency in classroom

Call nurse / 911

Clear the area of other students

Provide first aid as trained

Brief 09.06 (Seizure), 09.08 (Allergies), 09.07 (Asthma) cover specific medical events

Severe weather (real)

Same as drill but higher stakes

Stay until all-clear from official source

Family communication after — many families panic during severe weather

Bus accident or off-campus event

Driver and aide lead per protocol

Account for all students

Address injuries

Communicate with school admin

After the event

Student recovery

Some students recover quickly; some are shaken for days

Calm presence; talk through what happened in age-appropriate language

Honor return to routine — don't push but also don't avoid the subject completely

Watch for trauma reactions in days/weeks following — anxiety, nightmares, regression

Connect to counselor for students who need processing support

Brief 05.14 (Trauma-Informed Support) covers principles

Family communication

Even after drills, some families want to know how their student handled it

After real events, communication is essential

Through proper channels (case manager, admin)

Honest about what happened and how the student did

Staff recovery

Drills are low-stress; real events can be traumatic for staff

Take time to process

Use EAP, peer support, supervision

Brief 14.03 (Vicarious Trauma) covers cumulative effects

Plan revision

Every drill and every real event is data for plan revision

What worked? What didn't?

Bring observations to the team

Modify before the next drill

Documentation

Several aspects of emergency response require documentation:

Individual student emergency plans

Should be in writing, accessible to substitutes

Reviewed annually with the team

Updated as student needs change

Sometimes part of IEP or attached as separate plan

Drill participation and concerns

After each drill, note observations

Specific concerns flagged to admin

Patterns over time — what's working, what isn't

Real event response

Detailed incident reports

What the student experienced

How the student responded

What you did

What worked, what didn't

Family notification time

Per district protocols

Equity and emergency response

Some considerations:

Don't leave students behind

Schools have a documented history of leaving students with disabilities behind in evacuations

Plan, drill, and confirm: who is the adult for each student during emergencies?

Inclusion paras may suddenly need to make decisions for the student during a real event

Cultural considerations

Some communities have specific anxieties about police response (lockdown often involves police)

Some communities have specific anxieties about ICE and immigration enforcement during certain emergencies

Communicate carefully with families about what events involve

Trauma-aware drill design

Lockdown drills can themselves be traumatizing for students with prior gun violence exposure

Realistic drills (with police, fake injuries) have been shown to harm rather than help

Advocate for trauma-informed drill design

Notify families when intense drills are planned

Pitfalls

| Try this | Watch out for |

| :-: | :-: |

| Pre-plan specific procedures for each student with significant needs | Improvise during drills or real events |

| Drill the modified plan, not just the standard | Assume the standard procedure works for everyone |

| Bring AAC, mobility, medical equipment with the student | Leave equipment behind when evacuating |

| Use Social Stories and pre-teaching for sensory-sensitive or anxiety-prone students | Surprise them with drills as a test |

| Account for bathroom, food, and medical needs in long lockdowns | Treat all lockdowns as 5 minutes |

| Have a primary and backup adult for each student during emergencies | Assume someone else will handle the student |

| Document plans, drill observations, and real-event responses | Operate on verbal-only understanding of plans |

| Watch for trauma reactions in days following events | Assume recovery is immediate |

| Process your own response after real events; use EAP if needed | Push through and assume you don't need support |

| Bring observations to the team to revise plans | Quietly accept that drills don't work for your student |

Scenarios

Scenario 1: A student who screams during fire drills

Your student with autism screams every time the fire alarm sounds. Other students are distressed by his distress. The drill takes longer than it should.

Pre-plan. Pre-teach using a Social Story. Provide noise-canceling headphones — give them to him before drills (when notified) and have them accessible at all times. Practice drills calmly without alarm in advance. Coordinate with admin about notification of upcoming drills (some districts allow notification for students with sensory needs). Co-regulate during the event. Over time, with preparation, distress usually decreases.

Scenario 2: A wheelchair user during a fire drill on the second floor

Your student uses a power wheelchair. There's a fire drill while you're in second-floor science class. The elevator is off limits during fires; the stairs are not an option for the wheelchair.

This should be planned before the first drill. The plan typically includes: area of refuge near a stairwell with two-way communication; firefighters evacuate from refuge; or evacuation chairs (stair chairs) are available and trained-on. If the plan isn't in place, raise it urgently to admin. Don't wait for a real fire to discover this gap. Brief 09.09 (Lifting/Transferring) and the school's emergency plan should both address this.

Scenario 3: A student with elopement during lockdown

Lockdown drill begins. Your student with elopement risk panics, runs to the door.

This should be pre-planned. During lockdown drills, you're physically between him and the door. Hand-holding or close proximity. Pre-taught "stay close" routine. Comfort and calm narration. After the drill: what made him want to run? What can be modified? Bring observations to the team. Brief 05.16 (Elopement) covers the broader plan.

Scenario 4: A 4-hour real lockdown

A real lockdown begins in your school due to a threat in the neighborhood. It lasts 4 hours.

Your students will need bathroom, food, possibly medication. The plan should cover this — but if it doesn't, improvise with safety as primary. Stay calm and make others feel calm. Communicate with admin via radio/phone if possible. Co-regulate students. After: extensive debrief, family communication, staff support. Real long lockdowns are traumatic for all involved. Brief 05.11 (Crisis Response) and 14.03 (Vicarious Trauma) cover related dynamics.

Scenario 5: A diabetic student during severe weather lockdown

Severe weather sirens go off; your school is in shelter-in-place. Your diabetic student is due for insulin in 30 minutes. The shelter location is far from the nurse.

This should be pre-planned. Insulin and glucose monitoring supplies should travel with the student. Brief 09.05 (Diabetes Care) covers this. If supplies aren't accessible, communicate urgently with admin and nurse. Manage as best you can; this is a planning gap to fix immediately after.

Scenario 6: A student traumatized by a drill

After an unannounced lockdown drill, a student with prior gun violence exposure is shaken — withdrawn, anxious, asking constantly when the next drill is.

Take it seriously. Brief 05.14 (Trauma-Informed) and the school counselor are key resources. Communicate with family. Watch for ongoing signs over weeks. Advocate for trauma-informed drill design — including notification before drills for trauma-vulnerable students. Schools have a duty to balance security preparation with not re-traumatizing students.

Closing thought

Emergency procedures are designed for the typical student. Students with disabilities have legal and moral rights to comparable safety, which means the team has to plan beyond the typical. Most issues during drills come from planning that didn't happen — the wheelchair user with no evacuation chair, the sensory-sensitive student with no headphones, the student with anxiety surprised by the alarm. These are addressable.

As a para, you're often the closest to the specific student and the best positioned to flag what's not working. Bring observations to the team. Push for individual plans. Drill them. Adjust them. The goal is that emergencies — drill or real — go smoothly enough that the student is safe and recoverable, not that everyone pretends standard procedures fit everyone equally.

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| Bottom linePre-plan individual procedures for each student with significant needs. Drill the modified plan. Bring AAC and medical equipment with you. Use Social Stories and pre-teaching. Account for long-lockdown needs (bathroom, food, meds). Have primary and backup adults assigned. Document. Watch for trauma after real events. Take care of yourself afterward. Push for revision when plans don't fit. |

Related briefs

05.11 Crisis Response — for in-classroom behavioral crisis

05.14 Trauma-Informed Support

05.16 Elopement

09.04 Medication Administration

09.05 Diabetes Care

09.06 Seizure Recognition and Response

09.07 Asthma

09.08 Allergies and Anaphylaxis

09.09 Lifting, Transferring, Body Mechanics

10.01 Communication Bill of Rights

14.03 Vicarious Trauma — for staff support after real events

16.09 Field Trip With My Student (planned)

Resources: REMS TA Center (Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools); FEMA emergency planning resources; PASS (Partner Alliance for Safer Schools); your district emergency operations plan

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