MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)-Governor Nikki Haley signed a law that will add a new requirement for high school students and its one that could save a life. High schoolers already have many requirements, but this new curriculum could have lifesaving benefits.
All high school students in South Carolina will be required to learn hands-on CPR. According to the American heart association, 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home and 70% of people feel helpless when someone needs help. Out of those who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, only 10% of them survive.
Michelle Bessett with the American heart association says kids can change that statistic.
“Bystander CPR is one of the most quickest and effective ways for people to save lives. We know that when it comes to cardiac arrest, three to five minutes can save a life and the average time for first responders is between seven and ten minutes.”
Bessett met a principal who told her, those minutes saved his life when a student helped him after he collapsed.
“They were running in a 5k it was a school sanctioned event, it was a fundraiser and the principal had a cardiac incident dropped and kid running behind him happened to have learned it at I want to say boy scouts. He started doing CPR until the paramedics got there and it saved his life. And they told him you would not have made it if someone would not have started this.”
South Carolina is the thirtieth state to adopt the law. Some schools are likely to start CPR training next year but it is not a requirement until the 2017-2018 school year.
