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Yorktown board adopts safety‑plan changes requiring AED availability on field trips

Yorktown Central School District Board of Education · January 13, 2026
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Summary

The Yorktown Central School District Board of Education adopted amendments to its districtwide safety plan to comply with Desha's Law, requiring AED access for field trips or that portable AEDs accompany students. The law takes effect Jan. 20; district officials said building‑level plans were submitted confidentially to the state.

The Yorktown Central School District Board of Education voted Tuesday to adopt amendments to its districtwide safety plan to comply with Desha's Law, which takes effect Jan. 20, 2026.

Superintendent Ron Hatter said the most notable change is an explicit requirement that venues for field trips have an accessible automated external defibrillator (AED) or that the district bring a portable AED on the trip. "The big change for us because we've had AEDs throughout our buildings…is the AED requirement for field trips," Hatter said.

Lisa Sanfilippo, who led the districtwide plan revisions, told the board the amendments include a district‑level section (listed as amendment number 3 beginning on page 28 of the plan) and separate, building‑level emergency response plans. "Those building specific plans are confidential," Sanfilippo said, and the district has submitted them to the state. She said the district works with the PNW BOCES regional safety officer to review and refine plans before submission.

Board members asked whether the state provides an acceptance confirmation after submission; Sanfilippo said the state reviews plans on the portal and accepts them once complete, and that the district engages an outside reviewer before submission.

The board opened and closed a public hearing on the changes before moving to adopt the amended safety plan by voice vote. The motion passed with an affirmative voice vote (Aye). Hatter said the district already maintains AEDs in buildings and conducts staff AED training; the new requirement extends that duty to off‑site activities.

Next steps: the district will finalize communications to families and incorporate the new requirements into building emergency plans and trip protocols ahead of Desha's Law taking effect on Jan. 20.