High School Students Required to Learn CPR

New NJ Rule Requires High Schools Students to Learn CPR

What's New

On August 20, 2014, the Senate and General Assembly of the state of New Jersey passed a new law (Chapter 35, Title 18A) that requires both public schools and charter high schools that includes grades 9-12 to "provide instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator to each student prior to graduation as part of the District's implementation of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education." This act is to take effect immediately with the 2014-2015 ninth grade class.

Why Now?

In June of 2014, a student collapsed at Burlington Township Middle school and staff members trained in CPR and AED use were able revive the student. The current law was developed in response to this incident. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 424,000 people suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital each year and less than 11% survive. When CPR is administered, the survival rates can double or triple if administered in the first few minutes after cardiac arrest. With every minute that passes, survival rates drop.

What's Next

School Districts throughout NJ must begin to develop an implementation plan.  Garden State Environmental, Inc. (GSE) can provide you with certified CPR and AED instructors to provide the necessary training to these students or staff.

Please call us at 201-652-1119 with any questions of if you would like GSE's assistance in cost effectively complying with this new law.