First Aid Studies and Maintenance of Resuscitation Devices and First Aid Kits in Schools Law, 5761-2001

This Law is intended to establish a duty to maintain resuscitation devices and first aid kits in schools and to impart to education workers and pupils basic skills in first aid, thereby contributing to the saving of lives and enhancing awareness of the value of the sanctity of life.

In this Law –

"school" means a recognised educational institution, as defined in section 1 of the Compulsory Education Law, and for the purposes of sections 3a to 3c – including an educational institution within the meaning of section 5 of that Law;

"Compulsory Education Law" means the Compulsory Education Law, 5709-1949;

"educational institution" and "official educational institution" – as defined in the Compulsory Education Law;

"holder" means any of the following:

"resuscitation device" means an automated external defibrillator designed to regulate the electrical activity of the heart, in adults and in children, by means of the transmission of an electric current to the heart, in situations of impairment of cardiac function resulting from disruption of its activity, which meets the requirements set by the Minister with the agreement of the Minister of Health and has been approved by the Unit for Medical Equipment and Devices at the Ministry of Health;

"education worker" means a person engaged in teaching or education at a school, as well as a person engaged in the supervision of teaching or education at schools;

"first aid" means the provision of initial medical assistance required by a person as a result of harm, illness or other health damage;

"pupil" means a person studying at a school;

"the Minister" means the Minister of Education.

Education workers and pupils shall be imparted theoretical and practical knowledge in first aid in accordance with a programme to be prepared by the Minister, in consultation with the Minister of Health.

A holder in whose school more than 500 pupils are enrolled shall place at the school at least one resuscitation device in a central and accessible location; the Minister, with the approval of the Education, Culture and Sports Committee of the Knesset, shall set provisions regarding the location of the resuscitation device and the signage directing to it, as well as regarding ensuring its proper functioning; the Minister may also prescribe schools in respect of which there shall be a duty to place more than one resuscitation device.

A holder of a school shall ensure that the school has at least one first aid kit; the Minister shall set provisions regarding the maintenance of a first aid kit, including regarding its location and contents; the Minister may also prescribe schools in respect of which there shall be a duty to maintain more than one first aid kit.

A holder who has not placed a resuscitation device at a school or who has not ensured its proper functioning, contrary to the provisions under section 3a, is liable to a fine as set out in section 61(a)(1) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977.

The Minister is charged with the implementation of this Law, and may, in consultation with the Minister of Health, make Regulations for its implementation.

A programme under the provisions of section 3 shall be prepared for the first time within six months of the day of publication of this Law.

This Law shall commence upon the expiration of six months from the day of its publication.

This Law shall be applied gradually, commencing with the 5762 school year, to schools as determined by the Minister, provided that its application shall be completed no later than the commencement of the 5765 school year.