Considering the recent enactment of Desha’s Law (S.5539A/A.785A), which will take effect on September 1, 2025, we will be amending the district’s adopted 2025–2026 District-Wide School Safety Plan to ensure compliance with the new statutory requirements.
To achieve this, the amendment will be submitted to the Board of Education and made available for a 30-day public comment period before adoption.
Upon amendment, the District Wide School Safety Plan will include the following:
Desha’s Law
On July 24, 2025, Governor Hochul signed Desha’s Law (S.5539A/A.785A), which takes effect on September 1, 2025. This law mandates that school safety plans include a comprehensive cardiac emergency response plan. The plan must outline procedures and designate appropriate personnel to respond to sudden cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergencies occurring on school grounds or at school-sponsored events.
In addition to Desha’s Law, the use of on-site Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is required under the New York State Education Department Commissioner’s Regulation CRR 136.4. In compliance, the district has adopted an AED Policy (Policy 5682) and implemented an AED Program that is available on our district website.
Heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest are two different conditions. A heart attack is a circulation problem that occurs when blood flow to the heart is reduced or blocked. Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical problem that occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating and the heart can’t pump blood to the brain, lungs and other organs. Cardiac arrest causes a person to lose consciousness and pulse.
The AED Program has been developed to ensure a prompt, efficient, and effective response to sudden cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergencies in a school setting and outlines the emergency procedures to improve survival outcomes through early recognition and rapid response.
A designated group of school staff will be trained in CPR and AED use, and AEDs shall be clearly marked, accessible, and maintained with guidelines set by the American Heart Association. The district will also incorporate the AED Program protocols for responding to sudden cardiac arrest into the 2025–2026 Building-Level Emergency Response Plan.
There will be a public hearing on this amendment at a future board meeting.