Connecticut § 10-212i - Emergency action plans for serious and life-threatening sports-related injuries during interscholastic and intramural athletic events.

§ 10-212i. Emergency action plans for serious and life-threatening sports-related injuries during interscholastic and intramural athletic events.

Sec. 10-212i. Emergency action plans for serious and life-threatening sports-related injuries during interscholastic and intramural athletic events. (a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2022, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education and supervisory agent of a nonpublic school, in consultation with local emergency medical services providers and allied health professionals, shall develop and implement an emergency action plan for responding to serious and life-threatening sports-related injuries that occur during interscholastic and intramural athletic events.

(b) Such emergency action plan shall establish the procedures to be followed in the event that a student sustains a serious injury or illness while participating in an interscholastic or intramural athletic event, and shall include, but need not be limited to, the following components:

(1) A list of the school employees, coaches or licensed athletic trainers in each school who will be responsible for implementing the emergency action plan and a description of each person's responsibilities under the plan;

(2) An identification of the location or venue where the interscholastic or intramural athletic event is taking place;

(3) A description of the equipment and supplies that may be available at the site of the interscholastic or intramural athletic event that will assist in responding to an emergency, including the location of where such equipment and supplies may be found at such site;

(4) A description of the procedures to be followed when a student sustains a serious sports-related injury, including, but not limited to, responding to the injured student, summoning emergency medical care, assisting local first responders in getting to the injured student and documenting the actions taken during the emergency;

(5) A description of the protocols to be followed during cardiac or respiratory emergencies, including the operation of an automatic external defibrillator, use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation or the administration of medication, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-212a;

(6) A description of the protocols to be followed when a student is observed to exhibit signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion or is diagnosed with a concussion, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-149c;

(7) A description of the protocols to be followed when a student suffers from a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury, provided such protocols are designed to include instructions that are based on the level of training of the person implementing the emergency action plan and are in accordance with best practices and state law; and

(8) A description of the protocols to be followed in the event of heat and cold-related emergencies, provided such protocols are in accordance with current professional standards.

(c) Each local and regional board of education and supervisory agent of a nonpublic school shall annually review such board or agent's emergency action plan and update such plan, as necessary. Annually, those persons described in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section who are responsible for implementing such emergency action plan, shall rehearse such plan.

(d) Any school employee, coach or licensed athletic trainer identified in the emergency action plan pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section shall be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and have completed a course in first aid offered by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Department of Public Health, any director of health or an organization using guidelines for first aid published by the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross.

(e) Each local and regional board of education and supervisory agent of a nonpublic school shall (1) distribute the emergency action plan to all school employees, coaches and licensed athletic trainers identified in the emergency action plan pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section, (2) post such emergency action plan in all athletic facilities and at all sites where interscholastic and intramural athletic events will take place, and (3) make such emergency action plan available on the Internet web site for the school district or school.

(f) In developing and implementing the emergency action plan, a local or regional board of education or supervisory agent of a nonpublic school may utilize existing and appropriate public or private materials, models, personnel and other resources, and may accept gifts, grants and donations, including in-kind donations, designated for the development and implementation of the emergency action plan.

(P.A. 21-92, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 21-92 effective July 1, 2021.