CPR Required In Schools

CPR training is something that people of all ages should have. You never know when you might find yourself in an emergency situation and someone is depending on you to save their life.

Starting this 2017-2018 school year, students will be required to have thirty minutes of CPR training and choking first aid (Heimlich maneuver) in order to re­ceive their diploma.

SB 711 declares that any public school or charter school serving grades seven through twelve shall provide enrolled students instruction in cardiopulmonary and re­suscitation.

Students will only be re­quired to have thirty minutes CPR training, not full certi­fication, although becoming certified is encouraged.

This training will be pro­vided by schools and includ­ed in their health or physical education programs. While thirty minutes is not enough to become complete­ly certified, it’s enough to potentially save someone’s life.

Missouri is joining Ala­bama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Min­nesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Caroli­na, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washing­ton, West Virginia, and Wis­consin in training students prior to high school gradu­ation.

Representative Ron Hicks has stated that the American Heart Association would be providing schools with CPR and choking first aid kits. The best you can be in an emergency is to be prepared.