Under North Carolina’s Smart Heart Act, every public school must have a written Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) for the 2026–27 year. If you’ve never built one, here’s a clear, step-by-step guide.
What a compliant CERP includes
A Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) is more than an AED on the wall. A compliant plan includes: a written, dated plan; a designated cardiac response team with an activation protocol; annual CPR and AED training for key staff; at least one AED reachable within three minutes; coordination with local EMS; and annual drills plus a yearly review.
Step-by-step: building your CERP
- Understand what the law requires of your specific campus.
- Assess what you have today versus what the law requires.
- Build the written plan — team roles, activation steps, EMS coordination.
- Place AEDs for the three-minute rule — unlocked and signed.
- Train nurses, coaches, and key staff in CPR and AED use.
- Drill the response so your team acts on instinct.
- Maintain equipment — pads, batteries, inspections.
- Renew the plan each year with audit-ready records.
This is the School Rescue Ready™ roadmap — each step maps to a Smart Heart Act requirement, so when you finish, you’re compliant and audit-ready.
Keeping your CERP audit-ready
Compliance isn’t one-and-done. Run an annual cardiac emergency drill, review and update the plan each year, and keep documentation you can show your board or the state. Fund it well — here’s how to use available NC AED funding.
Do it yourself, or bring in a partner
You can build a CERP in-house, or let Rescue Beats do it end to end — plan, training, AEDs, drills, and documentation. Grab the free CERP-Ready checklist on our compliance page, call or text (919) 372-9657, or register for our free webinar.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm your obligations with the NC Department of Public Instruction or legal counsel.