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The Tennessee Smart Heart Act: Is Your School Ready for the 2026 Mandates?

Premedics Team
6 min read

The landscape of student safety in Tennessee has changed forever. With the passing of the Smart Heart Act, Tennessee has taken a bold step to protect student-athletes from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).

But for school administrators and athletic directors, this new law brings a serious question: Are we fully compliant?

Simply "having an AED in the hallway" is no longer enough. The Smart Heart Act introduces strict requirements for accessibility, training, and emergency planning that every public and private school serving grades 9-12 must follow.

At Premedics, we specialize in keeping schools "audit-ready" and safe. This guide breaks down exactly what the law requires and how to ensure your campus meets every standard before the next whistle blows.

What is the Tennessee Smart Heart Act?

Signed into law following a wave of high-profile cardiac events in youth sports, the Smart Heart Act (amendment to Tennessee Code Annotated) is designed to ensure that if a student-athlete collapses, life-saving measures can begin immediately.

The law recognizes a brutal truth: Time is the enemy. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, survival rates drop by 10%. The Smart Heart Act mandates that schools bridge the gap between collapse and care.

The 3 Core Requirements for Tennessee Schools

To be compliant in the 2025-2026 school year, your institution must meet three specific pillars of readiness:

1. The "3-Minute" Rule (AED Accessibility)

The law mandates that an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) must be accessible within 3 minutes of any athletic activity.

  • What this means: You cannot keep your only AED locked in a nurse’s office during a Friday night football game.
  • The Premedics Solution: We help schools map their "drop zones." If it takes 2 minutes to run to the gym and back, you are compliant. If it takes 5, you need a new deployment strategy or a portable AED for the sidelines.

2. Mandatory Emergency Action Plans (EAPs)

Every school must develop a written, venue-specific Emergency Action Plan for cardiac arrest.

  • The Requirement: This plan isn't just a document for a binder. It must be rehearsed annually by coaches, school nurses, and athletic staff.
  • Best Practice: Your EAP should explicitly state who calls 911, who starts CPR, and who retrieves the AED.

3. Training for Coaches & Personnel

All coaches (head and assistant) and key athletic personnel must hold active CPR and AED certification.

  • The Reality: Keeping track of certifications for 50+ staff members is a logistical nightmare.
  • The Fix: Automated compliance tracking ensures you know exactly whose certification is expiring before the season starts.

The Hidden Risk: "Zombie" AEDs

Many Tennessee schools think they are compliant because they bought AEDs five years ago. But an AED with expired pads or a dead battery is worse than no AED at all—it creates a false sense of security and a massive liability.

Common Compliance Failures:

  • Expired Pads: Electrode pads dry out over time and won't conduct electricity.
  • Dead Batteries: If the green light isn't flashing, the device won't shock.
  • Locked Cabinets: An AED locked in an office after 3:00 PM is useless for afternoon practice.

How Premedics Solves Smart Heart Compliance

We don't just sell you a box; we manage your entire readiness ecosystem.

  • Readiness Checks: Our program includes digital monitoring that alerts you if a battery is low or a device fails a self-test.
  • Compliance Dashboard: View the status of every AED across your district in one simple portal.
  • Medical Direction: We provide the physician oversight required by law to deploy these devices legally.
  • Training Sync: We align your staff training with your equipment, ensuring your team knows exactly how to use the specific AEDs you have on campus.

Next Steps: Schedule Your Campus Assessment

Don't wait for a tragedy—or a state audit—to test your readiness.

Request a Free Smart Heart Compliance Audit

Is your school compliant? Contact Premedics today for a free consultation on upgrading your AED program to meet Tennessee's new safety standards.

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