Beginning the 2015-2016 school year, a new state law requires high school students to receive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training in order to graduate.
HB1378, by Rep. Emily Virgin, D-Norman, and Sen. John Sparks, D-Norman, became effective Nov. 1. The bill states that all students enrolled in public schools must complete a course in CPR and learn the use of an automated external defibrillator at least once between seventh grade and his or her high school graduation. Only 19 other states have passed a similar law, many only going into effect within the last 3 years.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), provision of bystander CPR is known to be a critical determinant of survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and can double or triple a victim's chance of survival.
AHA supplies training kits that include all necessary materials for an instructor to implement the training. Each kit costs $599 and may be used to train hundreds of students at a time.
The bill states that school districts may use state funds allocated to the school district to pay for these trainings and in order to implement the training districts may use emergency medical technicians, paramedics, police officers, firefighters, teachers, other school employees or other similarly qualified individuals or organizations to provide the instruction to the students.
The State Board of Education will be responsible for ensuring that all schools are offering the CPR training course. Assistant Director of Communications Tricia Pemberton said accreditation officers will monitor each school.
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