An evacuation drill must be conducted at least every:

The requirement for conducting an evacuation drill at least every six months is rooted in the need to ensure that both staff and residents are familiar with emergency procedures. Frequent drills help reinforce knowledge of the evacuation plan, and they provide an opportunity to identify any issues or areas for improvement in the process. This frequency strikes a balance between being thorough enough to keep everyone adept at responding to emergencies while not being so often that it becomes burdensome or ineffective.

Conducting drills more frequently than every six months, such as monthly, may lead to desensitization or complacency among participants, making the drill less effective over time. Meanwhile, conducting them only once a year could risk residents and staff forgetting the procedures or the plan becoming outdated. Thus, the six-month interval is established as a best practice in emergency preparedness within assisted living environments.