S.C. Code Ann. § 59-17-165: Cardiac emergency response plans in public schools; integration with emergency services; immunity.

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Cardiac Emergency Response Plan" or "CERP" means a written document that establishes the specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in a school, workplace, sports facility, or any other school setting.

(2) "Automated External Defibrillator" or "AED" has the same meaning as found in Section 44-76-20.

(3) "Sudden Cardiac Arrest" means the occurrence of when the heart malfunctions and stops beating unexpectedly.

(B) Each public school district or charter school board of trustees shall develop a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the appropriate use of school personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while on school grounds.

(C) Each public school district or charter school with an athletic department or organized athletic program that competes in interscholastic activities shall address in their CERP the appropriate use of school personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while attending or participating in a school-sponsored athletic practice or event.

(D)(1) The State Board of Education shall develop standards, practices, and procedures that must be adopted by public school districts and charter school boards of trustees when developing a CERP and utilizing training in accordance with nationally recognized, evidence-based standards. Each CERP shall contain at the minimum, the following elements:

(a) establishment of a school-level cardiac emergency response team;

(b) activation of the team in response to a sudden cardiac arrest;

(c) implementation of AED placement and routine maintenance within each school campus;

(d) maintaining ongoing designated staff training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use;

(e) periodic practice of CERP function which may include drills involving individuals identified by the school-level cardiac emergency response team;

(f) integration of local medical resources into the plan; and

(g) ongoing and annual review and evaluation of the plan.

(2) If a school's athletics department has a policy, procedure, or plan that addresses catastrophic injury situations within sports, including cardiac emergencies, that meets or exceeds the elements of a CERP required in item (1), then the school's policy, procedure, or plan satisfies the requirements of item (1).

(3) District officials and charter schools shall work with local emergency service providers to integrate the community's emergency management system (EMS) protocols in its CERP.

(E) Appropriate AED placement must comply with the CERP in accordance with evidence-based, emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.

(F) A private school, as defined in Section 59-1-110, or a private institution sponsoring an athletic team or sport in which its students or teams compete against a traditional or charter public school must also comply with this section for the applicable team or sport.

(G) Subject to funding by the General Assembly or South Carolina Department of Education, appropriate school staff must be trained in first aid, CPR, and AED that meet standards adopted by the State Board. Designation of staff to be trained pursuant to this subsection must be determined by the CERP which may include, but may not be limited to, athletic coaches, school nurses, and athletic trainers.

(H)(1) A public school, public school district, public school district governing authority, charter school, charter school governing board, charter school authorizing authority, the South Carolina Department of Education, and employees, volunteers, and other agents of all of those entities including, but not limited to, a school nurse and other designated school personnel, who undertake an act under this section, are not subject to civil or criminal liability for damages caused by injuries to a student or another person resulting from action taken pursuant to this section.

(2) The immunity granted pursuant to item (1) also applies to individuals and entities who:

(a) develop or implement, or participate in the development or implementation of, a plan, pursuant to subsection (B) or (C) including, but not limited to, providing training to school nurses and other designated school personnel;

(b) make publicly available a plan, pursuant to subsection (B) or (C);

(c) provide first aid, CPR, or use an AED pursuant to the activation of the cardiac emergency response plan.

(3) The immunity granted pursuant to this subsection:

(a) does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or wilful, wanton, or reckless conduct; and

(b) is in addition to, and not in lieu of, immunity provided pursuant to Sections 15-1-310, 15-78-10, and any other provisions of law.

(4) First aid, CPR, and AED administration pursuant to this section is not the practice of medicine or nursing.