A Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) is the single document that turns AEDs from expensive wall-mounted equipment into a functional life-saving system. State mandate states require one. The American Heart Association recommends one for every public facility. Project ADAM’s Heart Safe School designation conditions on one. Yet most U.S. organizations that own AEDs either don’t have a written CERP at all, or have a document so generic that it can’t actually be executed under stress.
This guide provides the complete CERP framework — what every plan must include, how to scope it for your facility type, how to drill it, how to keep it current, and a free downloadable template you can adapt in a single afternoon. It’s written for facility managers, EHS officers, school administrators, athletic directors, and risk managers who need a defensible, executable document — not a generic checklist.
~21
U.S. states require K-12 schools to maintain a CERPSource: AHA + state DOE compliance bulletins
3 min
AHA time target — collapse to first AED shockSource: American Heart Association
10×
Higher survival with a documented response plan vs. ad-hoc responseSource: AHA Public Access Defibrillation outcome data
Who needs a written CERP?
| Facility type | Legal requirement? | Recommendation source |
|---|---|---|
| K-12 public schools (mandate states) | Required | State statute + state DOE |
| K-12 private & charter schools | Recommended | NFHS · AHA · Project ADAM |
| Fitness facilities (mandate states) | Required | State DPH + public access defib statutes |
| Dental offices with sedation permits | Required | State dental boards |
| Healthcare facilities | Required | Joint Commission · CMS · state licensing |
| Workplaces 50+ employees | Recommended | OSHA Publication 3185 |
| Houses of worship, daycare | Recommended | AHA · insurance carriers |
| Hotels, hospitality, sports venues | Recommended | Industry best practice · insurance |
Even where not legally required, a written CERP is a critical insurance underwriting document, a litigation defense, and the difference between staff who freeze under stress and staff who execute.
The 8 sections every CERP must contain
This is the structural skeleton your facility’s plan should populate. Use it as a section-by-section outline when drafting.
1
Plan Overview & Facility Information
Facility name, address, gate codes, building diagrams, hours, peak occupancy windows, square footage, floor count, EMS jurisdiction, last review date, document version control.
2
AED Inventory & Locations
Make, model, serial number, exact placement (building, floor, room), pad expiration, battery install-by date, registration confirmation, and photograph of cabinet location. Floor-plan diagram with AED locations marked. Pediatric pad availability flagged.
3
Named Responder Team
Designated responders by name with role, building location, contact phone, certification level (Heartsaver, BLS), card expiration, and backup responder. 3+ trained responders per shift recommended.
4
Response Sequence (Step-by-Step Protocol)
Discovery → 911 call → AED retrieval → CPR initiation → AED deployment → EMS arrival handoff. Time targets at each step. Communication script. Who clears bystanders? Who escorts EMS to the scene?
5
EMS Coordination
Local EMS phone (in addition to 911), facility access (gate code, lockbox, after-hours), elevator hold protocol, designated entry point, on-site greeter role, and hospital transport destination preferences.
6
Family/Stakeholder Communication
Who notifies family, parents, and spouse? Talking points. Privacy considerations (HIPAA, FERPA for schools). Media contact protocol. Internal communication tree.
7
Post-Event Procedures
AED event-data download protocol, pad replacement, deployment reporting to state EMS/DPH, debrief meeting with responders, counseling resources for involved staff, and incident report filing.
8
Training & Drill Schedule
Annual certification calendar, quarterly tabletop exercise dates, annual live drill schedule, lessons-learned log, and plan review cadence (minimum annually).
State-specific CERP requirements
| State (example) | CERP element specifically required |
|---|---|
| New Jersey (Janet’s Law) | Written cardiac emergency action plan + athletic trainer at events |
| Texas | Written campus emergency plan including cardiac response (UIL aligned) |
| Florida | Written CERP per FHSAA + state DOH guidance |
| New York | Written plan + designated responders per school |
| Pennsylvania | Written cardiac response plan + drill documentation |
| Illinois | Written plan per Illinois School Code + IHSA rules |
| Massachusetts | Written plan per MA DPH + MIAA |
For state-by-state mandate context, see our AED Requirements for K-12 Schools by State guide and the AED Laws by State hub.
CERP for different facility types
K-12 schools
Single most-mandated facility type. CERP must address athletic events (the highest SCA risk), classroom collapse, hallway collapse, cafeteria/choking events, and evening-event/visitor scenarios. Pediatric pad availability and pediatric-mode AEDs must be documented. CERP integrates with the school’s broader emergency operations plan. Project ADAM publishes a school-specific CERP template that meets most mandate-state requirements.
Fitness facilities
CERP focuses on member exertion events, often involving older adults. Must address 24/7 unstaffed-access models where members may need to act. Pool deck and locker room scenarios included. Trainer certification roster cross-referenced.
Office buildings
CERP must address multi-tenant coordination — a single AED program may serve multiple employer tenants. Lobby-level responder identification. Elevator-hold protocol. After-hours response. See our multi-floor building AED placement guide.
Manufacturing & warehouses
Forklift / industrial vehicle considerations. Shift coverage with potentially overnight skeleton crews. Loading dock and outdoor area protocols. Cold-storage facility special procedures. See our warehouse AED placement guide.
Construction sites
CERP travels with the project as the active work zone moves. Trade contractor coordination. Site-entry EMS protocols (gate, address). See our construction site AED guide.
The drill cadence that makes a CERP real
A plan that isn’t drilled is a fiction. Best-practice drill cadence:
Quarterly · Tabletop walk-through (1 hour)
Designated responders + administration sit around a table and verbally walk through the response sequence. Identify gaps in named responder coverage, AED location knowledge, EMS coordination.
Semi-annually · Live drill (30–45 minutes)
Announced or unannounced live drill in one zone of the facility. Time the response from “discovery” to AED-on-patient. Document. Debrief.
Annually · Full program audit (4–6 hours)
Comprehensive review of CERP document, certifications, AED inventory, registration status, training records, and incident reports. Update CERP if anything has changed.
After any deployment · Post-event review
Within 5 business days of an actual deployment, convene responders for a structured debrief. Update CERP based on lessons learned.
Common CERP omissions that cause audit failures
✓ Strong CERPs include
- Named responders by name and role (not “the safety team”)
- Specific AED locations with floor diagrams
- Time targets for each response step
- EMS access details (gates, codes, after-hours)
- Family notification protocol
- Annual revision date with version control
- Drill log appended to document
✗ Weak CERPs typically miss
- Generic “trained staff will respond” language
- Vague AED locations (“in the main building”)
- No drill documentation
- No EMS coordination details
- No post-event procedures
- The two-year-old document has never been updated
- No version control or revision dates
How to draft your CERP — a 4-step process
- Convene the team. AED program owner + facility safety officer + HR + on-site healthcare staff + (if applicable) athletic director. 90-minute kickoff meeting.
- Walk the facility. Physically locate every AED. Document make/model/serial. Photograph cabinet locations. Sketch floor diagrams.
- Populate the 8-section template. Fill each section with facility-specific data. Use the free downloadable template provided in this article.
- Review & approve. Submit to administration, HR, and legal counsel for review. Distribute to all named responders. File in the AED program binder + shared drive.
Download the free CERP template
The complete 8-section Cardiac Emergency Response Plan template — formatted for binder filing or Word/Google Doc editing. Embed your lead-magnet form here on the WordPress page.
Real-world impact of a documented CERP
Real-world impact
Damar Hamlin — January 2023
The NFL’s response to Damar Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest is now studied as a textbook CERP execution. The Buffalo Bills’ game-day emergency action plan defined a named responder, an AED location, an EMS coordination protocol, and a hospital handoff sequence. Total time from collapse to AED defibrillation: ~5 minutes. Total time from collapse to hospital: ~10 minutes. Hamlin survived and resumed his career. The case became a national reference point for CERP effectiveness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan?
A written document defining how a facility responds to sudden cardiac arrest events — who the trained responders are, where AEDs are located, how EMS is coordinated, what happens during and after the event. Required by ~21 U.S. state K-12 mandates and recommended by AHA for any public facility.
Is a CERP legally required?
For K-12 schools in ~21 mandate states, yes. For fitness facilities, dental offices with sedation, and healthcare in many states, yes. For workplaces and other facilities, often not legally required but strongly recommended as insurance underwriting and litigation defense documentation.
What’s the difference between a CERP and an Emergency Action Plan?
An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is broader — OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires EAPs to cover fire, evacuation, severe weather, and medical emergencies. A CERP is narrower and focused specifically on cardiac arrest response. CERPs are typically appended to or integrated within the EAP.
How long does it take to write a CERP?
4–6 hours for a single-site facility starting from a structured template. For multi-site organizations, expect 8–16 hours, including stakeholder review and site visits.
How often should a CERP be reviewed?
Minimum annually. Best practice: quarterly tabletop walk-throughs, semi-annual live drills, annual full review. After any actual deployment, conduct a post-event review within 5 business days.
Who should write the CERP?
The designated AED program owner — typically EHS, safety officer, HR coordinator, school nurse, or facility manager — in collaboration with administration, on-site healthcare staff, and athletic director (for schools). Final review by legal counsel is recommended.
Does a CERP need legal review?
Recommended but not always required. For mandate-state facilities, district or organizational counsel typically reviews the CERP at adoption and after material changes. Review establishes that the document meets state-specific compliance language.
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Sources & References
- American Heart Association — 2020 CPR & ECC Guidelines
- Project ADAM — Heart Safe School Program & CERP Resources
- OSHA — AEDs in the Workplace Best Practices Guide
- NFHS — Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Athletes
- AHA — AED Laws by State Database
Disclaimer: This article is informational. State-specific CERP requirements vary; verify with your state Department of Education, state Department of Health, and legal counsel. This template is a starting framework, not a compliance certification.
