§ 1480. Emergency operations plans
(a) Each supervisory union or supervisory district shall adopt and maintain an all-hazards
emergency operations plan for each school site that is at least as comprehensive as
the template maintained by the Vermont School Safety Center. The plan shall be reviewed
and updated on an annual basis, in collaboration with local emergency first responders
and local emergency management officials.
(b) Each approved and recognized independent school shall adopt and maintain an all-hazards
emergency operations plan consistent with the requirements of subsection (a) of this
section.
(c) The Vermont School Safety Center shall maintain an emergency operations plan template
and update the template as appropriate.
[Subsection (d) effective July 1, 2026.]
(d) The template maintained by the Vermont School Safety Center shall include, at a minimum,
hazard-specific provisions for:
(1) Acute cardiac events in schools, including protocols that address:
(A) the use and maintenance of automated external defibrillator (AED) devices;
(B) the specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest during school activities or
within school or district facilities, which shall be consistent with nationally recognized,
evidence-based standards;
(C) the appropriate use of school personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual
experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while on
school grounds;
(D) implementation of AED placement and routine maintenance within each school or district
facility, which shall be consistent with applicable nationally recognized, evidence-based
standards, and which shall include a requirement for clearly marked and easily accessible
AEDs at each athletic venue where practices or competitions are held;
(E) required staff training in CPR and AED use and practice drills regarding the cardiac
response plan; and
(2) An athletic emergency action plan (AEAP) for all public or approved and recognized
independent schools with an athletic department or organized athletic program. The
AEAP shall detail the steps to be taken in response to a serious or life-threatening
injury of a student participating in sports or other athletic activities. The AEAP
established by public and independent schools pursuant to this subdivision shall be
consistent with the athletic emergency action plans policy established by the Vermont
Principals’ Association. (Added 2023, No. 29, § 2, eff. July 1, 2025; amended 2025, No. 72, § 12, eff. July 1, 2026.)