- Step 1: Treat it like a school-wide safety rollout (not a nurse-only initiative)
- Step 2: Name your Cardiac Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Step 3: Map your campus like you’re planning passing periods
- Step 4: Write your “who does what” protocol in plain language
- Step 5: Lock down AED maintenance in a similar manner as fire extinguisher checks
- Step 6: Integrate EMS before you need them
- Step 7: Train staff, then practice like its real life
- Step 8: Communicate the plan like you communicate a schedule change
- Step 9: Don’t forget the “after” plan
- Step 10: Use ready-made tools so you’re not reinventing the wheel
A state “mandate” can feel like one more thing on an already-full plate and a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) isn’t “extra paperwork.” It’s your school’s playbook for the kind of emergency where minutes matter in sudden cardiac arrest. Think of it like your fire drill system: clear roles, clear routes, practiced routines. The goal is simple: when something happens, nobody freezes because everyone knows their job.
Step 1: Treat it like a school-wide safety rollout (not a nurse-only initiative)
A CERP works best when it’s owned by the campus. The American Heart Association describes a CERP as a written plan that lays out specific steps to increase recovery from cardiac arrest, and it’s meant to be used in real life.
Start with a short kickoff meeting and invite the people who actually run the day:
- School nurse / health services
- Admin (principal/AP)
- Athletics/activities
- Security/SRO (if you have one)
- Head custodian/facilities
- Front office lead (they control the phones, doors, and radios)
- A few “always in the building” staff members across wings/grades
Step 2: Name your Cardiac Emergency Response Team (CERT)
Your CERT is your emergency response crew, like your crisis team, but specifically trained and practiced for cardiac events.
American Heart Association’s guidance recommends identifying a CERT and having members with current CPR/AED training; it also recommended the team be large enough that someone is likely to be nearby when an emergency happens (example guidance: at least 5 people or ~10% of staff).
Make it real-world practical:
- Select all team members from multiple hallways and high traffic areas
- Cover arrival, lunch, recess, dismissal, and after-school events.
- Assign a CERT Coordinator (the “plan owner” who keeps training/drills from slipping).
Step 3: Map your campus like you’re planning passing periods
Open a campus map and mark:
- AED locations
- High-risk/high-traffic spots (gym, cafeteria, auditorium, stadium, playground)
- Locked-door choke points
- Radio dead zones (if you have them)
The American Heart Association CERP resources emphasize AED placement and routine maintenance, and the template guidance notes an AED should be reachable quickly (example guidance: within about 3 minutes of any location).
School reality check: if the only AED is in the main office behind two locked doors, it’s not “available.”
Step 4: Write your “who does what” protocol in plain language
A plan that reads like a district mandate won’t be followed under stress. Build a simple, repeatable script for staff:
If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse:
- Recognize signs (unresponsive and abnormal breathing/gasping)
- Call 911 (or directly point to someone to call)
- Start CPR immediately. Early CPR + early AED use increases survival rates. Get the AED and use it.
- Direct EMS to the exact location (someone should be assigned to meet them).
The Association’s policy recommendation and core elements of a CERP should include, team activation, AED placement/maintenance, campus communication, ongoing CPR/AED training, drills, EMS integration, and annual review.
Step 5: Lock down AED maintenance in a similar manner as fire extinguisher checks
AEDs are lifesaving only if they work on the day you need them. Treat AED checks like a facilities routine:
- Assign a responsible role
- Set a monthly schedule
- Document to prove compliance
This aligns with the Association’s emphasis on routine maintenance as a core part of preparedness.
Step 6: Integrate EMS before you need them
The American Heart Association recommends integrating local EMS into planning and execution and notes they may help with training and response drills.
What to do this month:
- Invite EMS to walk your campus (especially athletics venues)
- Confirm the best entry points and where to meet responders
- Test radio/phone procedures
Step 7: Train staff, then practice like its real life
Training is not the same as readiness. Readiness shows up in drills.The Association recommends ongoing CPR/AED training and practicing using drills; the policy statement calls practice drills the best way to test the plan, and the template resources describe including as many people as possible in drills. At least two once per semester.
Make drills short and specific:
- 7 minutes, one scenario, one location
- Track times (collapse to CPR start, collapse to AED shock)
- Debrief immediately: “What slowed us down?”
Step 8: Communicate the plan like you communicate a schedule change
If staff can find the bell schedule faster than the emergency plan, fix that.
- Post a one-page summary in key areas (office, gym, cafeteria, nurse suite)
- Add AED locations to staff onboarding
- Re-share the quick version mid-year (right when routines start slipping)
Communication and dissemination are part of the Association’s recommended core elements.
Step 9: Don’t forget the “after” plan
After a real event or drill:
- do a quick debrief
- restock supplies
- check AED pads/battery status
- support staff (these events shake people)
The Association specifically calls for post-event review plus an annual review and evaluation.
Step 10: Use ready-made tools so you’re not reinventing the wheel
The American Heart Association has CERP support plus turnkey resources to help your school create, implement, and evaluate a plan. The school checklist and editable template guide are built to help you move from “mandate received” to “plan running.”
One more practical note: If your team is nervous about liability, the Association’s policy statement flags Good Samaritan protection as something to understand at the state level. (Your district counsel can handle this quickly.)
Looking to build a CERP for your school, yourself? Access the Heart Association’s DIY CERP materials below.