Alabama State AED Laws

No Current Legislation

Not required, but encouraged.

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A​L Code § 6-5-332 - 2011

Provides Good Samaritan protection for use of an AED and establishes guidelines for AED programs:

(e) A person or entity, who in good faith and without compensation renders emergency care or treatment to a person suffering or appearing to suffer from cardiac arrest, which may include the use of an automated external defibrillator, shall be immune from civil liability for any personal injury as a result of care or treatment or as a result of any act or failure to act in providing or arranging further medical treatment where the person acts as an ordinary prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances, except damages that may result from the gross negligence of the person rendering emergency care. This immunity shall extend to the licensed physician or medical authority who is involved in automated external defibrillator site placement, the person who provides training in CPR and the use of the automated external defibrillator, and the person or entity responsible for the site where the automated external defibrillator is located. This subsection specifically excludes from the provision of immunity any designers, manufacturers, or sellers of automated external defibrillators for any claims that may be brought against such entities based upon current Alabama law.

Outlines the AED requirements for an assisted living facility:

(a) An assisted living facility shall be staffed at all times by at least one individual who has a current
certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Outlines the instructions to ensure the public health and safety for a person that acquires an AED:

(a) As used in Section 6-5-332, the term "automated external defibrillator" or "AED" means a medical device heart monitor and defibrillator that meets all of the following specifications:

(1) Is commercially distributed in accordance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Section 301, et seq.).

(2) Is capable of recognizing the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia and is capable of determining, without intervention by an operator, whether defibrillation should be performed.

(3) Upon determining that defibrillation should be performed, semiautomatically or automatically charges and delivers an electrical impulse through the chest wall and to an individual's heart.

(b) A person or entity that acquires an AED shall ensure all of the following:

(1) That expected defibrillator users are encouraged to successfully complete a course in automated external defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) that is offered or approved by a nationally recognized organization and includes instruction on psychomotor skills and national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular guidelines that are current.

(2) That the defibrillator is maintained and tested according to the manufacturer's operational guidelines.

(c) Each manufacturer shall provide in-service training materials on the AED use and operation to each person or entity who acquires the AED.

(d) A person or entity who acquires an automated external defibrillator shall notify the distributor of the AED if any change of ownership of the AED occurs.

(e) This section shall not apply to an individual using an AED in an emergency setting if that individual is acting as a good samaritan pursuant to Section 6-5-332.

Outlines the AED requirements for schools K-12:

(a) For purposes of this section, the term automated external defibrillator is given the same definition as provided in subsection (c) of Section 6-5-332.3.

(b) An automated external defibrillator shall be placed in each public K-12 school in Alabama. The superintendent of each local board of education shall designate at least one employee at each school to be trained in the use of an automated external defibrillator.

(c) The State Department of Education shall implement and administer this section and shall adopt such rules as are necessary.

Outlines the AED requirements for a specialty care assisted living facility:

(f) A specialty care assisted living facility shall be staffed at all times by at least one individual who has a current certification from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). A specialty care assisted living facility equipped with an automated external defibrillator (AED) shall be staffed at all times by at least one individual who has a current certification from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross in AED utilization. Substitute training approved by the Department of Public Health for use by EMS personnel may be utilized in lieu of those courses or certifications offered by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross in CPR or AED utilization.

420 AAC

5-4-.04

Outlines the AED requirements for a specialty care assisted living facility:

(3)(c) An assisted living facility shall be staffed at all times by at least one individual who has a current certification from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). An assisted living facility equipped with an automated external defibrillator (AED) shall be staffed at all times by at least one individual who has a current certification from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross in AED utilization. Substitute training approved by the Department as acceptable for EMS personnel may be utilized in lieu of those courses or certifications offered by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross in CPR or AED utilization.

Outlines the AED requirements for all end stage renal disease treatment and transplant centers:

(b) Basic Life Support. Each End Stage Renal Disease Treatment and Transplant Center shall be equipped with an Automated External Defibrillator ("AED"). The AED must be maintained and charged at all times according to manufacturer's instructions. A person designated to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation ("CPR") and operate the AED and at least one other staff member must be present whenever any patient is in the
facility. Individuals designated to perform CPR and operate the AED must be properly certified and attend a training class on CPR and the operation of an AED at least annually.

Outlines a comprehensive plan for training, certification, and credentialing of cardiac care providers in the use of AEDs:

(a) The Department of Public Health shall establish a comprehensive cardiac arrest survival plan for the training, credentialing, and certification of primary cardiac care providers in the use of semiautomatic external defibrillators based on national guidelines for life-saving interventions of persons suffering sudden, non-traumatic cardiac arrest promulgated by the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.