New Law Requires HS Seniors to Get CPR Certified, Schools to Comply

Yesterday, Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadadno signed Janet’s law, one of two new New Jersey state laws that will require all incoming freshman to become CPR certified before they graduate high school. The newly assigned amendments go into effect on Sept. 1.

Janet’s Law was named in remembrance of Janet Zilinski, an 11 year-old cheerleader from Warren, NJ who died in 2006 after an episode of cardiac arrest. According to a 2012 study in the Journal of Pediatrics, 2,000 Americans under age 25 die of sudden cardiac arrest each year.

The American Red Cross will provide trainings, action plans, and access to automatic external defibrillators (AED) to help teachers and school districts comply to the new laws, which were passed with broad bipartisan support. Each school will be required to post signs throughout campus directing students and staff to AED which will be in an unlocked, accessible location. EMTs or first responders must be present at all practices or events if school employees who have been properly trained are unavailable.

“The American Red Cross believes that two these laws can help avoid unnecessary deaths in our schools and ensure that our high school students have the necessary training to help fellow citizens suffering from a cardiac emergency until trained medical help arrives,” Mathieu Nelessen, regional CEO, American Red Cross North Jersey explained.
For more information, visit www.RedCross.org/JanetsLaw.

What do you think of the new state laws? How do you think it will affect Madison students and school staff? Tell us in the comments.