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Board reviews district safety plan updates as ‘Desha’s law’ requires AED mapping and staff training
Summary
District staff told trustees state law requires cardiac emergency-response language in building plans; the board was told about AED locations, training cycles, Narcan availability and a Jan. 20 staff training start date.
District safety staff presented proposed additions to the Kingston City School District’s district-wide safety plan that must now include a cardiac emergency-response component, citing recent state requirements commonly referred to in the presentation as “Desha’s law.” Staff said the law requires each building-level plan to identify AED locations, list staff trained in AED/CPR and specify the closest AED that would be used in different parts of a building.
A district presenter explained the change using the 2009 case that inspired the law and emphasized time sensitivity in cardiac events: “Every minute counts.” Staff reported roughly 182–185 district employees are trained in AED/CPR and that AED pads and batteries typically require replacement roughly every two years; expired pads are repurposed for training. The presenter also confirmed that Narcan is included in first-aid kits and that training and awareness modules will be available through the district’s online training vendor, Vector Solutions.
Trustees asked operational questions: whether AEDs travel to off-site events (staff said AEDs are provided to sporting events and coaches are AED/CPR certified, though AEDs do not go on all field trips), how often devices are serviced (quarterly checks, servicing every two years for pads and batteries), and whether there are enough trained adults on off-site trips (staff said the device voice prompts and training reduce barriers but acknowledged practical limits when the device is not physically present).
District staff said the public will have a 30-day comment period on the changes. The board agreed to move forward with the public-notice process and to consult building medical staff and the district safety committee on whether additional AEDs are needed in particular buildings.
What happens next: the revised district-wide safety plan will be posted for a 30-day public comment period; staff will coordinate with building-level medical staff to determine if additional AEDs are required and will share specifics with the board as procurement or placements are considered.
