Requires schools safety plans to include a cardiac emergency response plan

• Democratic34
• Republican12

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why April Baskin says this is needed

Instances of sudden cardiac arrest sometimes occur on school property or at school-operated events like sports practice. There is a lack of specific, evidence-based guidance on what to do in these situations for school staff. This bill works in continues the work of The Louis Acompora AED's in Schools Act which requires certain public-school facilities to retain on premises at least one functional cardiac automated external defibrilla- tor. This bill requires that districts create cardiac emergency response plans and that schools incorporate response procedures in existing school safety and preparedness plans. Further, this legislation requires that these policies are established in coordination with the community's EMS responder protocols. When an individual's heart stops, time is of the essence. Studies have shown that mortality rates increase for every second longer it takes to administer an automated external defibrillator (AED) shock to the heart. This means having a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) in place and AED physically on-site would save precious time should a sudden cardiac arrest occur, increasing the survivability rate of the individual. This bill recommends that an AED should be placed on a victim within three minutes of the onset of sudden cardiac arrest. The plan shall integrate evidenced based core elements as recommended by the American Heart Association or other nationally recognized organiza- tion that provides the guidelines training for the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.