Hawaii school emergency plan rule

Does Hawaii require schools to have an emergency plan?

Hawaii has no school statute requiring schools to have an emergency plan; the duty comes through the State Fire Code: under NFPA 1 (2024), which Hawaii's State Fire Code adopts, educational buildings must have an emergency action plan. The Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) says all of its schools have emergency plans, but that is the department's statement, not a statute or rule. Bills that would have written a school emergency plan duty into law have not been enacted; they are listed under "What changed recently?" below.

What does the fire code require?

Hawaii's State Fire Code, adopted by the State Fire Council under HRS 132-3 and effective September 5, 2025, adopts the 2024 edition of NFPA 1 by reference, with Hawaii amendments. Under NFPA 1 (2024), which the State Fire Code adopts, emergency action plans must be provided for educational occupancies, among other building types. NFPA 1's school chapter applies to new and existing educational buildings, and requires an emergency action plan that documents how security features, fire protection systems and life safety systems operate. An emergency action plan must cover, among ten items, how emergencies are reported, how students and staff respond, and evacuation, relocation and shelter-in-place procedures suited to the building and its hazards. The plan must be submitted to the fire authority (the AHJ, or authority having jurisdiction) for review when the AHJ requires it. The plan must be reviewed and updated as the AHJ requires; NFPA 1 sets no fixed interval for this. Hawaii's State Fire Code amends the NFPA 1 (2024) school drill rule so that high, middle and intermediate schools hold fire drills at least once a quarter during school sessions.

What does the Department of Education say about school plans?

In 2024 testimony, HIDOE said each of its schools has its own site-specific emergency action plan. It said each plan contains procedures for managing different threats across the four phases of emergency management, a communication section for school closures, and an evacuation plan. In 2018 testimony, HIDOE said principals were already required to develop emergency action plans for their schools, without naming the rule or policy that requires it. In that 2018 testimony, HIDOE said school plans must give procedures for evacuation, earthquake, fire, lockdown, shelter-in-place and tsunami evacuation, and that schools update their plan once a year as needed. HIDOE tells families to learn their school's emergency plan and its parent reunification procedures for an evacuation. It says that when a tsunami warning comes during the school day, schools in the evacuation zone evacuate according to the school's emergency action plan. It says it works with state and county emergency management to decide whether a school stays open during large-scale events.

What do Board of Education policies say?

Board of Education Policy 305-3 requires HIDOE to set procedures for keeping students, staff and buildings safe during threats such as bomb threats. It is a board policy, not a statute or rule, and does not use the word "plan". Board policy E-305 tells HIDOE to put procedures in place for the safety and security of students, staff and school buildings. Board Policy 305-5 requires public schools to cooperate fully with local law enforcement; it is a general duty, not tied to an emergency plan.

What training is required?

Act 53 (2023) requires HIDOE to develop an active shooter training program with the teachers', government employees' and public workers' unions; it does not create an emergency plan requirement.

Are school plans public?

In 2024, HIDOE told lawmakers it had concerns about releasing school emergency plans because they hold sensitive details such as staff names, phone numbers and emergency protocols. This is the department's position, not a legal exemption.

What changed recently?

HB2556 (2026) would have required the department to set up an emergency management plan for all schools, updated every year, with parent and guardian access to information about emergency response plans. HB2556 was referred to the Education and Finance committees, and its status page shows no later action. HB1445 (2025) had the same plan mandate; it was carried over to the 2026 session, and its status page shows no later action. HB1249 (2025/2026) would have required each public school, from July 1, 2026, to carry out a disaster and attack preparedness plan with the state homeland security office and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, including how to stay in contact with county, state and federal emergency agencies. HB1249 was carried over to the 2026 session, and its status page shows no later action. HB2445 HD1 (2026) would have required a standard emergency response plan for immigration enforcement activity near public schools; the House Education committee recommended deferring it. HB1837 (2024), which would have required HIDOE to create emergency action plans for each school, last moved on March 22, 2024, when the Senate passed it on second reading and sent it to Ways and Means; its status page lists no Act.