CPR Resources for Schools
Although the risk of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest event occurring in a school is relatively low, the emotional costs associated with the sudden death of a child are enormous. Increasing the percentage of students, staff, and faculty trained in CPR increases the likelihood of someone promptly initiating time-critical CPR for a victim of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
While CPR is not a graduation requirement, as of July 1, 2017 South Dakota Codified Law requires districts to incorporate into district curriculum the skills necessary to perform hands-only CPR and awareness in the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator). The South Dakota Department of Education must also annually make school districts aware of available resources for use in providing this instruction. To review the 2022 CPR Survey Report see the PDF download. For additional guidance, districts can also access the CPR Guidelines for School Districts.
Stakeholders from various state agencies and health/physical educators from school districts assisted in compiling the CPR resources and agency contacts for districts to access when implementing CPR training in classrooms or school district trainings.
- CPR in Schools Training Kit
The SD American Heart Association currently has a kit for school use at no cost to districts. Kits Include manikins, kneel mats, training DVDs, hand pumps for inflation, and a facilitator guide (for complete details see the PDF download).
If interested in reserving a CPR kit, contact SD American Heart Association at 605-360-2542 for availability and to check-out this resource for school/district trainings. Districts can order CPR kits or find free resources by visiting www.heart.org/cprinschools.
- Two Steps to Staying Alive with Hands Only CPR
For more information, contact Brian Hambek, NREMT-P, CCEMTP, Executive Director
Spearfish Emergency Ambulance Service, 715 E Colorado Blvd, Spearfish, SD 57783
seas@rushmore.com, (605) 642-8810
Thanks to a grant, the SD EMS Association has many AHA CPR in Schools kits located with EMTs and paramedics who serve as local training officers across the state of South Dakota. These agencies will come to your school to do hands-only CPR training free of charge or lend the kits to do the training. To find a local EMT or paramedic in your community or a town near you.
Locate your local EMS training officer.
- State Training officer: Ruth Airheart
- District 1: Seth Fryer
- District 2: Kurtis Nelson
- District 3: Brian Baldwin
- District 4: Wendy Owens
- District 5: Rachel Clark
- District 6: Margaret Farrell
- District 7: Brandon Carlson/Jason Sadler
For more information, contact Eric Van Dusen, President, SD EMS Association
Center for Pre-hospital Care, Sanford Health, 1305 West 18th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5039
president@sdemsa.org, (605) 328-6391
For more information, contact Jeremy Robertson, EMS Educator, (605) 367-8271
Amy Marsh, EMS educator, (605) 367-8272
Serving Western South Dakota/Dakotas Region: Richard Smith, Executive Director, 1221 N. Maple Ave, Rapid City, SD 57701 (605) 342-4010. Central and Western South Dakota:
Serving Eastern SD Red Cross/Dakotas Region: Executive Director, 808 West Ave N, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
605-336-2448, redcross.org/sd/sioux-falls
American Red Cross: Emily Flom, SD Contact for Preparedness, Health and Safety Services, (402) 343-7775
An emergency action planning program in connection with the South Dakota High Schools Activities Association. The goal of the program is to provide districts with resources/training to assist with planning for life-threatening emergencies.
The goal is to save lives by immediately responding to life-threatening emergencies with a simple protocol that includes:
- Calling 911 to alert the Emergency Medical System (EMS)
- Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Early use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)
- Early transition to EMS
For more information, contact John Krogstrand, Assistant Executive Director, (605) 224-9261