Every second counts on the field and in the hallway
Sudden cardiac arrest doesn't check the schedule. It can happen to a student athlete during practice, a teacher in the hallway, or a grandparent in the bleachers on game night. When it does, what happens in the first few minutes, before the ambulance arrives, often decides the outcome.
Illinois is raising the bar for how schools prepare. Public Act 104-0759 (House Bill 3275) takes effect July 1, 2027, and it adds new training and planning requirements for school districts, private schools, and their coaches. At Downers Grove CPR, we've spent 12 years training workplaces and organizations across the Chicagoland suburbs. Now we're putting that experience to work for schools, with a complete program that helps you meet the new law and, more importantly, be ready when it matters.
What the new law requires
Illinois schools already need a cardiac emergency response plan. PA 104-0759 makes that plan more specific and adds a training requirement for coaches. Here's what it covers, in plain English:
• Coach and sponsor training. All paid head coaches and chief sponsors of an activity must be trained in CPR, first aid, and AED use. The training must follow national, evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines, and it must be renewed every 2 years.
• A written cardiac emergency response plan (CERP). Every school district and private school needs a plan based on the American Heart Association or Project ADAM guidelines, or another nationally recognized standard. It must cover emergencies at school and at school-sponsored activities and events, and it must be distributed to teachers, administrators, support staff, and coaches.
• An AED inventory. The plan must list every AED on site. Each one must be clearly marked, easily accessible at school and at athletic venues and events, and maintained as the manufacturer recommends. The plan must also include each unit's maintenance schedule.
• Staff education. Teachers, administrators, coaches, assistant coaches, and other identified staff need education on the warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, hands-only CPR, and AED use.
• An annual cardiac response drill. School districts must practice their plan once a year. The drill can be done with local EMS, and students don't have to take part.
The law also protects school boards, administrators, and staff from liability for actions taken while carrying out the plan, unless the conduct is willful or wanton. That's one more reason to have a solid plan in place.
This is a summary for general information, not legal advice. You can read the full text on the Illinois General Assembly website.
How we help your school comply
We've built our school program so you can check every box with one partner instead of five. Here's how each piece of the law maps to what we do:
What the law requires: CPR, first aid, and AED training for paid head coaches and chief sponsors, every 2 years
How Downers Grove CPR helps: American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED, and First Aid certification, taught on-site at your school on a schedule that works around practices and the school day
What the law requires: Staff education on cardiac arrest warning signs, hands-only CPR, and AEDs
How Downers Grove CPR helps: Short awareness sessions for teachers and staff, or full Heartsaver certification for your cardiac emergency response team
What the law requires: A written cardiac emergency response plan
How Downers Grove CPR helps: Help build or update your plan using American Heart Association guidelines, including roles, response steps, and communication with 911
What the law requires: A clearly marked, accessible, and maintained AED at school and athletic venues
How Downers Grove CPR helps: AED site assessments, AED sales, cabinets, and signage, so every building, gym, and field is covered
What the law requires: An AED inventory with a maintenance schedule
How Downers Grove CPR helps: AED Easy Tracker, our tracking system that keeps every AED, pad, and battery expiration date in one place, at no cost. Optional subscriptions replace pads and batteries after a rescue or when they expire
What the law requires: An annual cardiac response drill
How Downers Grove CPR helps: Planning and running your drill, coordinated with your local EMS, plus a debrief so you can fix gaps before a real emergency
Special pricing for K-12 schools. As an American Heart Association training provider, we can offer any Heartsaver class to K-12 schools at a discount off our standard rates.
Why start now, not next summer
July 2027 sounds far away, but the 2026–27 school year is the last full year to get ready. Waiting until summer creates three problems:
1. Coaches are hard to schedule in-season. Fall coaches are tied up from August on. Training them this winter or spring is far easier than squeezing everyone in at the last minute.
2. AEDs and supplies take budget. If you need more units, cabinets, or replacement pads, now is the time to get them into next year's budget.
3. Every training provider will be booked. Schools across Illinois face the same deadline. Getting on the calendar early means you pick your dates.
Most importantly, a cardiac emergency won't wait for the law to take effect. Every coach trained and every AED checked this year is the protection your students and staff have today.
Let's make your school cardiac-ready
Whether you're a superintendent, principal, athletic director, or school nurse, we'll walk you through where your school stands today and what it needs before July 2027. There's no cost and no obligation.
Book a free discovery call over Google Meet, or call our Lombard office to get started.
Downers Grove CPR has provided on-site CPR, First Aid, and AED training and AED solutions to organizations across the Chicagoland suburbs since 2014.
