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Dinwiddie schools adopt cardiac emergency response plan requiring drills, AED mapping and CERT teams
Summary
The school board adopted a districtwide cardiac emergency response plan in response to a state legislative update, requiring at least one annual drill per school, CPR/AED certification for response teams, AED mapping and post-incident debriefs.
The Dinwiddie County School Board adopted a districtwide Cardiac Emergency Response Plan after staff presented a blueprint to implement a recently updated state requirement. The plan, as presented, requires each school to form a Cardiac Emergency Response Team (CERT), post AED locations and conduct at least one cardiac emergency drill each year.
The presenter told trustees the General Assembly updated the Code of Virginia in July 2025 to require public elementary and secondary schools to develop and implement such plans and to conduct at least one annual cardiac drill. The plan identifies response roles: first staff to an unresponsive person should direct a second staff member to call 911 and a third to retrieve the nearest AED. The plan standardizes radio language for medical holds to reduce confusion, instructing staff to announce a "cardiac emergency" at a specific building location and whether 911 has been called.
Board discussion focused on operational details: how many shocks an AED can deliver before pads must be replaced; whether additional portable AEDs should accompany middle-school athletic trips; and how quickly staff can find AEDs in a building. Staff said trainers carry AEDs at home varsity events and that two "go bags" with AEDs and basic medical supplies are available for middle-school teams. The plan requires CERT members to be CPR/AED certified; each incident will be followed by a post-incident hot wash, notification of family members and offering counseling to affected individuals.
The board approved the plan by voice vote. Implementation steps recorded in the meeting include mapping AED locations in every building, training CERT members and scheduling initial drills. School Health Services and building administration will coordinate the roll-out and report back with reviews after incidents and annually.
Board members emphasized clarity in messaging to parents and staff so that the terms "hold," "secure," and "lockdown" retain specific meanings under the district's Standard Response Protocol.
