February 10, 2009, Introduced by Senators CHERRY, ANDERSON, JACOBS, BRATER, OLSHOVE, BASHAM and BARCIA 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) 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.
(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).
(9) Not later than 6 months after the effective date of the
amendatory act that added this subsection, the state fire marshal
shall promulgate rules to establish an inspection system for
dormitories in colleges and universities giving priority to the
conduct of inspections regarding deficiencies noted in previous
inspection reports and the need for follow-up inspections.