School evacuation plan template
A free fire evacuation plan template for schools and colleges, made to hang in every classroom. Print it, edit it in Word, or upload your school's floor plan and make a map for each room.
Upload a floor plan, photo or sketch. You get a finished map with routes, symbols and these steps, ready to print.
Download the free school evacuation plan template
Each one has a title block for the building name and floor, a large space for your floor plan, a map key, "You are here", the in-case-of-fire steps below, the assembly point and emergency contacts. Landscape, in A4 and US Letter.
Printable PDF
School fire evacuation plan template, ready to print and fill in by hand.
Editable Word (.docx)
Change any wording, add your details and paste in a floor plan picture.
Free to download, print and share. No sign-up.
What the map should show
- The route from this classroom to its exit, and a second route if that one is blocked
- Stairs, exits and the doors pupils should not use
- Fire alarm call points and extinguishers
- Where pupils who need help, and their helpers, go (refuge points or accessible exits)
- A "You are here" marker on this room
- The assembly point and where this class lines up for the roll call
In case of fire: steps for a school
- 1.Raise the alarm. Press the nearest fire alarm call point and tell a member of staff.
- 2.Leave in a line, calmly and quickly, by the route on this map. Teachers take the class register.
- 3.Close doors behind you. Don't stop for bags or coats.
- 4.Do not use lifts or elevators. Use the stairs.
- 5.Call the fire service on the emergency number below, even if the alarm is ringing.
- 6.Line up at the assembly point. Teachers take the roll call and report anyone missing straight away.
Lockdown or shelter-in-place for other emergencies is a different procedure: keep it on a separate notice so no one confuses the two.
Who is responsible
- The school's leadership and governing body (or the district) own the plan; one named person, often a business manager or caretaker, keeps it up to date.
- Each teacher leads their class out and takes the register. Someone covers rooms with no teacher, such as toilets, the library and the canteen.
- The office takes the visitor and staff sign-in lists to the assembly point.
- Pupils with additional needs should each have a personal evacuation plan, with named staff to help them.
How often to review and drill
- Check the plan at least once a year, and straight away after any change to the layout, exits, alarm, use of the building or the people in it.
- Replace every posted copy when the plan changes. Old maps on the wall are worse than none.
- Your local fire code, fire authority or insurer may set how often you must drill. Check with them, and keep a record of each drill and what you learned from it.
- Schools usually drill several times a year, and many authorities set a minimum. Hold the first one early in the school year so new pupils and staff learn the routes.
This is general guidance. Rules differ by country, state and city: check with your local fire authority, and with a fire safety professional for your building.
Skip the drawing: make it from your own floor plan
Upload your school's floor plan as a PDF, photo or sketch. EvacPlan tidies it, you mark the exits and routes, and you get a print-ready map for every floor with the map key and steps already on it. Free to make, and your first map downloads free.
Questions
Does every classroom need its own evacuation plan?
Every classroom should have a map that shows the route from that room, with a "You are here" marker. The building layout is the same, but the start point and often the exit differ, so a single school-wide map is harder to follow.
What about lunchtime and assemblies?
Plan for the times pupils are not in class: name who clears the hall, canteen, playground and toilets, and how pupils find their class line at the assembly point.
Can I make one for a daycare or nursery?
Yes, see the daycare template. Young children can't leave on their own, so it covers cots, ratios and sign-in sheets.
Related templates
Read more: School evacuation planning guide · Evacuation plans for daycare and schools