Fire drill and lockdown IEP goals

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Fire drill IEP goals teach a student to stop, line up and leave the building with the class when the alarm sounds, and to tolerate the noise. Lockdown goals teach moving to the safe spot and staying quiet. Write them within the school's emergency plan, with a high criterion such as following 7 of 7 evacuation steps on 3 consecutive drills.

Drills are rare, loud and unpredictable, which makes them some of the hardest moments of the school year for many students. A student who covers their ears and drops to the floor at the first alarm, runs from the line, or cannot stay quiet in a lockdown needs more than a reminder. They need the routine taught, practiced in small steps and supported with tools.

Every goal on this page sits inside the school's emergency operations plan. Coordinate with the principal and the building safety team before any practice, so extra practice runs (with no alarm, or a recorded one at low volume) do not cause confusion. The 12 goals below have illustrative baselines and template links, followed by a measurement section with a filled-in data sheet. The life skills IEP goals pillar covers the other safety goals.

Choosing a goal

Student profile	Sub-skill	Measure	Data sheet
Drops, screams or hides at the alarm	Tolerating the alarm	Seconds to start moving, or steps tolerated	Latency data sheet
Moves, but leaves the line or runs	Evacuating with the class	Steps independent out of 7	Task analysis data sheet
Calls out or moves during lockdown	Lockdown and shelter	Steps independent, or seconds quiet	Task analysis data sheet
Uses a wheelchair or walker, or needs a buddy	Evacuation with equipment or assistance	Steps independent	Task analysis data sheet

For students who may bolt or become aggressive during drills, the team should write the drill into the behavior intervention plan and the student's individual emergency plan. A BCBA often leads the desensitization plan.

Tolerating the alarm

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
1. When a recorded alarm plays at increasing volume during practice, the student will put on noise-reducing headphones and stay seated or move to the door within 30 seconds on 5 of 5 trials at each volume step.	Drops to the floor at low volume	Latency	Template
2. During a real fire drill, the student will begin moving to the door within 20 seconds of the alarm on 3 consecutive drills.	Median 3 minutes	Latency	Template
3. When the alarm starts, the student will use a taught calming step (headphones, squeeze ball, or "alarm card") and keep walking on 3 of 3 drills.	Stops and covers ears on 3 of 3	Opportunities	Template

Desensitization moves slowly: start with a recorded alarm at very low volume in a familiar room, paired with something the student likes, and raise volume only after several calm trials. Stop and drop back a step if the student shows distress. Ask staff to tell the student before scheduled real drills when the plan allows it.

Weak: "The student will tolerate fire drills."

Measurable: "During a real fire drill, the student will begin moving to the door within 20 seconds of the alarm on 3 consecutive drills, measured by latency."

Evacuating with the class

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
4. When the fire alarm sounds, the student will stop, line up, walk with the class by the posted route and stand at the class spot outside, 7 of 7 steps, on 3 consecutive drills.	3 of 7	Task analysis	Template
5. During evacuation, the student will stay in line with a buddy or the walking ring from the classroom to the outside spot on 3 of 3 drills.	Leaves the line on 2 of 3	Opportunities	Template
6. During a drill in a room other than the classroom (gym, cafeteria, library), the student will follow that room's exit route with the group on 2 of 2 drills.	Heads to the classroom	Task analysis	Template

Goal 6 matters because real alarms rarely happen during the period you practiced. Ask the safety team whether practice walks of other routes can be added.

Weak: "The student will follow fire drill procedures."

Measurable: "When the fire alarm sounds, the student will stop, line up, walk with the class by the posted route and stand at the class spot outside, 7 of 7 steps, on 3 consecutive drills, measured by task analysis."

Lockdown and shelter goals

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
7. When a lockdown drill is announced, the student will move to the classroom safe spot and sit, 4 of 4 steps, within 30 seconds on 3 consecutive drills.	1 of 4 steps	Task analysis	Template
8. During a lockdown drill, the student will stay quiet (whisper or silent, using a quiet card or fidget) for the full drill, up to 10 minutes, on 3 of 3 drills.	Quiet for 1 minute	Duration	Template
9. When a severe weather drill is called, the student will go to the shelter area and take the protective position on 3 of 3 drills.	Needs physical guidance	Task analysis	Template
10. When a room clear is called, the student will leave with the group to the planned location on 3 of 3 practice clears.	Stays in the room	Task analysis	Template

Lockdown practice must be calm and age-appropriate. Use the school's language, keep explanations short ("We practice so we know where to go"), and never use scary details. Follow your district's rules on lockdown drills for students with disabilities, which may allow individual walk-throughs.

Weak: "The student will behave during lockdowns."

Measurable: "During a lockdown drill, the student will stay quiet for the full drill, up to 10 minutes, on 3 of 3 drills, measured by duration."

Evacuation with equipment or assistance

Goal	Baseline (illustrative)	Measure	Template
11. During a drill, the student will drive a power wheelchair along the evacuation route to the elevator-free exit or the area of refuge named in the plan, on 3 of 3 drills.	Needs staff to steer	Task analysis	Template
12. When a drill starts, the student will go to the assigned buddy or staff member named in the evacuation plan within 15 seconds on 3 of 3 drills.	Waits at the desk	Latency	Template

Plans for students who use wheelchairs, walkers or other equipment are set by the building safety team with the PT and family. The IEP goal covers what the student does inside that plan. See the mobility equipment goals for related templates.

Weak: "The student will evacuate safely with assistance."

Measurable: "When a drill starts, the student will go to the assigned buddy or staff member within 15 seconds on 3 of 3 drills, measured by latency."

How to measure

Use task analysis for evacuation and lockdown routines, latency recording for time to start moving, and duration recording for staying quiet. A 7-step evacuation task analysis:

Stop the activity when the alarm sounds.
Put on headphones if part of the plan.
Line up at the door.
Walk with the class or buddy.
Follow the posted route without stopping.
Go to the class spot outside.
Stay with the class until the all-clear.

Probe frequency: real drills follow your state and district schedule, often monthly in the early part of the year. Between drills, run practice walk-throughs (with no alarm, or a recorded alarm at the planned volume) every 1 to 2 weeks, cleared with the safety team. Graph real drills and practice runs as separate lines.

Here is a filled-in task analysis data sheet for a fictional student on goal 4.

Step	Practice 1	Practice 2	Drill 1	Practice 3	Drill 2	Drill 3
1. Stop	G	I	V	I	I	I
2. Headphones	P	M	G	I	I	I
3. Line up	G	G	G	I	I	I
4. Walk with buddy	V	I	V	I	I	I
5. Follow route	G	G	G	G	I	I
6. Class spot	V	I	I	I	I	I
7. Stay until all-clear	V	V	G	I	I	I
Steps independent	0 of 7	3 of 7	1 of 7	6 of 7	7 of 7	7 of 7

Drill 1 (the first real alarm) dropped well below practice, which is common. After more practice runs, drills 2 and 3 reached 7 of 7. One more real drill at 7 of 7 meets the goal.

Adapting by age and support level

Student	Focus	Criterion example
Preschool and K-2	Headphones, walking ring, staying with the class	Moves within 20 seconds on 3 drills
Grades 3 to 5	Full evacuation steps, quiet in lockdown	7 of 7 steps on 3 drills
Middle and high school	Routes from any room, shelter and room clears	2 of 2 drills from other rooms
Students with mobility equipment	Plan-based route, buddy, area of refuge	3 of 3 drills along the planned route

More templates are on the community safety goals and the functional skills hub. Related guides: home safety goals, behavior IEP goal examples and independent living goals. Check each draft in the goal checker.

When behavior gets in the way of learning or safety, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports.^[1] Drills are a common place where that requirement applies.

Frequently asked questions

How do I help a student who panics during fire drills?

Plan desensitization with the safety team and a BCBA: a recorded alarm at very low volume, paired with something the student likes, raised slowly over many calm trials. Add headphones, a buddy and an alarm card, and tell the student before scheduled drills when allowed.

Can students practice drills outside scheduled drills?

Yes, with the principal's and safety team's approval. Practice walk-throughs with no alarm or a recorded alarm help many students. Clear each one in advance so staff and other classes are not confused.

Do lockdown drills need special planning for students with disabilities?

Often, yes. Plan the safe spot, quiet supports and who stays with the student. Keep language calm and simple, follow district rules, and consider individual walk-throughs for students who are very anxious.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Center on PBIS, Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.