Is Your School Ready for a Cardiac Emergency?

As students and staff return to school and sports activities, now is a great time to think about safety where those activities are happening.

While games, practices, and school events bring communities together, they can also be the setting for one of the most time-sensitive medical emergencies: sudden cardiac arrest. Cardiac emergencies can affect students, teachers, coaches, staff, or visitors, every second counts when a life is on the line.

Last year, you helped us make sure school athletic programs in Montana are prepared for cardiac emergencies. Now the American Heart Association is building support for legislation that would help ensure all Montana schools are prepared with Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs).

A CERP helps schools respond quickly and effectively to a cardiac emergency by providing:

• A designated emergency response team
• Accessible AEDs and trained personnel
• Clear emergency action protocols
• Regular practice drills
• Coordination with local EMS

As we prepare for future advocacy efforts, we encourage you to ask a simple question.

Does your local school have a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan in place in the event a sudden cardiac emergency occurs on campus?

We ask you to start this conversation in your community to ensure that students, teachers, and staff are protected when seconds matter most.