West Virginia AED Laws: Requirements for AED Programs

Summary of AED Program Requirements

Medical Director: A doctor must be appointed to oversee the AED program. Their role includes managing training, working with emergency medical services (EMS), planning AED placement, and reviewing each AED use.
CPR/AED Training: Anyone expected to use an AED must be trained in CPR and AED operation, including understanding advance directives. Training can be from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, another nationally recognized course, or a program approved by the Office of Emergency Medical Services.
EMS Notification:
- The AED program must be registered with the Office of Emergency Medical Services, including details about AED locations, operator training, EMS coordination, the medical director, AED maintenance, and reports of AED use.
- The local EMS and emergency dispatch center must be informed about the program, its location, and how it will work with the EMS system.
Maintenance Program: AEDs must be regularly maintained and tested according to the manufacturer’s instructions, with written records kept of all maintenance and testing.
Notification of Use: If someone uses an AED to help a person in cardiac arrest, they must contact EMS as soon as possible and report the AED use to the program’s medical director.

Laws / Legislation
Reference	Date	Summary
WV Code § 18-2-25c	2020	Requires Automated External Defibrillators and trained personnel at school athletic events and practices, effective by the 2021-2022 school year.
WV Code § 22-1-3 & 22-3-4	2018	AEDs are required at underground mines and surface mines.
WV Code § 30-4A-(4-7)	2016	Outlines AED requirements for dental offices.
WV Code § 16-4D-1	2016	The West Virginia Legislature hereby finds and declares that each year more than two hundred fifty thousand Americans die from out-of-hospital incidents of sudden cardiac arrest. More than ninety-five percent of these incidents result in death and, in many cases, death occurs because properly trained persons with life-saving AEDs arrive at the scene too late.
WV Code § 16-4D-2	2016	Defines: Anticipated Operator, Automated External Defibrillator, Early Defibrillation Program, Emergency Medical Services, Entity, Medical Director, and Unanticipated Operator.
WV Code § 16-4D-3	2016	Outlines instructions to ensure the public health and safety for a person that acquires an AED.
WV Code § 18-2-9	2016	The state board shall prescribe a standardized health education assessment to be administered within health education classes to measure student health knowledge and program effectiveness.