Kansas education committee hears update on cardiac emergency response plans; KDHE posts standards, schools must file plans by July 31

Members of the Kansas House Committee on Education on Thursday heard an update on statewide cardiac emergency response plans and related requirements from Lainie Faulkner of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Carrie Rinker of the American Heart Association.

The committee was told KSA 72-6288 directs the secretary of health and environment to develop statewide standards for cardiac emergency response plans and requires each local board of education to adopt a comprehensive plan for every attendance center based on those standards. Lainie Faulkner, director of the Bureau of Health Promotion at KDHE, said the SERP standards and supporting templates are published on a KDHE website and that districts must submit their first plans by July 31. "So far, we have received two cert plans, and we will expect to see that number continue to rise," Faulkner said.

Why it matters: immediate CPR and use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) markedly improve survival from sudden cardiac arrest. Testimony cited American Heart Association figures showing survival rises substantially when bystanders perform CPR and an AED is used.

Key details presented to the committee

- Statutory scope: Faulkner…