The American Heart Association (AHA) discovered through data, that more than 350,000 Americans suffer from sudden cardiac arrest. Only 12 percent survive of those survive. The law was put in place to reduce the casualties from a cardiac arrest. The State of Michigan passed a law on Dec. 28, 2016 requiring high school students to take a CPR training course in order to graduate.

The predicted results will be roughly 100,000 more CPR-trained Michiganians every year. Senate Bill 0647 outlines that Michigan high schoolers will learn CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator before graduation.

Superintendent Dr. Adam Hartley explained how the new law will affect graduation requirements.

“While the state has passed a new law that will require all graduating seniors to have training at some point between 7-12 grade,” Hartley said. “We are still unsure if this will impact next year’s seniors.”

The AHA plans to introduce the students to general cardiac tools and familiarize them with various life-saving devices. Hartley is unsure where and when this training will take place.

“We are waiting for more clarification from the state,” Hartley said. “The training will be done in existing health classes. We do not know what grade levels this will occur yet.”

According to the American Heart Association, Michigan students will learn and practice hands-on CPR, which includes pumping the chest to circulate blood to vital organs such as the brain and heart. Students will also become familiar with AEDs and battery-operated mobile devices that can deliver a shock to a cardiac arrest victim’s heart.

“We have a good number of our staff at the high school and throughout the district who are trained in CPR and first aid,” Hartley said. “I believe this is good practice. Safety first, and if our students know how to save lives we are all better off because of this new law.”