Should Lockdown Drills be Announced? Experts Say Yes - Here’s Why

There is one topic that goes (my version of) viral every time I post about it on social media. These posts get caught up in the unstable, swirling atmosphere of the algorithm, drawing both support and backlash. 

I anticipate this kind of response when I post about something like our need for better gun laws. But there’s one topic that gets even more traction than debating the Second Amendment: should lockdown drills be announced ahead of time?

When writing my children’s book to help families talk honestly about lockdown drills, I studied the origin of lockdown drills extensively (which I’d argue are an extension of the FBI’s Run, Hide, Fight). I also studied school safety procedures across the country and how third-party organizations conduct drills.

I found that experts agree on several key points - including this one: lockdown drills should be announced in advance to teachers, staff, students and caregivers.

In this post, I’m sharing six reasons why - and pointing you to credible resources that support this trauma-informed, expert-backed approach. 

Reason 1: Announcing Lockdown Drills Reduces Teacher and Student Trauma

Learning there is an active shooter nearby is terrifying! 

Have you ever been in public and wondered what you’d do if a shooter appeared and began an attack? Maybe you’ve been in a store, a church, or your work office and imagined what it would be like to have a lockdown called over the emergency system.

As you envisioned it, did your pulse quicken? Did your throat dry out as you contemplated what you would do and if you would survive? 

When we don’t announce drills in advance, we’re putting our children, teachers, and staff through that same horrifying experience. Except, at least for a time, it feels real.

Learning there is a shooter in your building will trigger a trauma response in the brain and body. Learning afterward that it was “just a drill” does not undo that response.

Failing to announce lockdown drills exposes kids to frequent, traumatic events. Over time, these will have a lasting, cumulative effect. 

Reason 2: Unannounced Lockdown Drills Create Confusion and Distrust 

We all know the story of the shepherd boy who liked to prank his town people by pretending there was a wolf. Then one day there really was a wolf and no one came running.

Similarly, if we establish a habit of saying “for real, there is a shooter in the school” when there is not a shooter in the school, what will we say if ever there really is one? In that terrifying, chaotic and crucial moment, how will we convey we are not pretending? 

A teacher once told me he was against announcing drills because students already refuse to take the unannounced drills seriously. “Imagine if they knew it was a drill!” he exclaimed. 

This person failed to understand that part of the reason students are not taking the drill seriously is because school staff always pretend it is real and then later tell students it was pretend. At this point, the teens roll their eyes at all “emergencies” because they know they are fabricated. 

We cannot expect students to take an emergency seriously, if we’ve disguised every past drill as a real emergency. 

Reason 3: Announcing Lockdown Drills Builds School and Community Trust

Announcing drills in advance helps build trust between school administration and the greater community. 

Trust is critical during real emergencies. When students and teachers believe school administrators are honest and transparent, they’re more likely to respond appropriately when the alarm sounds. 

In this regard, concerns that students may not behave seriously enough during drills if they are announced in advance are valid - but they’re also overshadowed by the higher benefit of knowing that the students are more likely to behave seriously during a real emergency. 

The goal of drills is to “advance a student’s readiness” as much as needed (this is per the AAP cited below and a blog post more on this coming soon!). Drills - and rigid adherence to them - shouldn’t be our highest priority.

Reason 4: Advance Notice Allows Schools to Make Trauma-Informed Accommodations

Experts agree that lockdown drills, in their traditional form, are not for everyone. 

Students, teachers, and staff that have experienced trauma are at risk of retraumatization. Additionally, drills may be especially difficult for people with physical or developmental disabilities. 

Announcing lockdown drills ahead of time allows caregivers to notify school officials of any concerns or limitations. In turn, school personnel can make accommodations - reducing the chance of unintended harm. 

Reason 5: Letting Families Know About Lockdown Drills Supports Parent-Child Communication

Notifying families that their child will experience a lockdown drill in the coming days gives them an opportunity to prime their child for a conversation about it. 

Caregivers are able to be at the forefront of their child’s experience, communicating to their child that they are a knowledgeable and reliable source for them. This could be the difference between a child growing up in a gun violence crisis with support from an adult or without it. 

(Need help with that conversation? Check out my picture book created specifically for caregivers like you! And don’t miss this post for tips on how to get the most out of reading it.)

In this way, lockdown drills serve two purposes: 

1. Help kids practice their role in an emergency, and 

2. Give families tools to support children growing up in a world with gun violence. 

(A post on the role of caregivers in today’s reality is coming soon.)

6. Advance Notification of Lockdown Drills Supports Caregiver Consent

Some experts recommend obtaining caregiver consent prior to involving students in a drill. Announcing lockdown drills to families in advance, gives them a chance to raise concerns and make informed decisions. 

Expert Recommendations on Announcing Lockdown Drills in Advance

In addition to the six logical points above, several major organizations explicitly encourage advance notification.

• The National Association of School Psychologists collaborated with the National Association of School Resource Officers to create this resource. Their suggestion to announce to caregivers in advance can be found in the last paragraph on page six. 

• In this publication, the American Academy of Pediatrics takes a strong stance of “no deception in drills.” Withholding advance notice can cause students and staff to believe the threat is real, which may result in trauma. 

• The National Alliance on Mental Health offered five questions teachers and staff should ask the administration regarding lockdown drills. Number one is about announcing them in advance.

• In their “mistakes to avoid,” Partner Alliance for Safer Schools expresses the harm that comes from unannounced drills.

This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it’s a good starting point if you’re advocating for change in your school or district. 

Why Schools Should Always Announce Lockdown Drills: Final Thoughts

Lockdown drills are inherently heavy - we don’t need to make them more traumatic by surprising students and staff. 

Announcing them in advance is a trauma-informed, expert-recommended, best practice. 

If you found this post helpful, check out: Lockdown Drills: 10 Steps to Help Your Child Feel Safe and Supported.