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FLORIDA - A new Florida law now requires all public and charter schools to train staff on how to respond to severe allergic reactions, aiming to better protect students with life-threatening allergies.
Effective July 1st, the law mandates that school personnel working with kindergarten through eighth grade receive training on recognizing anaphylaxis and properly administering emergency epinephrine, commonly known as EpiPens.
This applies during school hours and all school-related activities before and after class.
The Florida Department of Health reports over 76,000 students in the state suffer from life-threatening allergies.
State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, who championed the bill, emphasized the goal is to prevent tragedies and save lives through simple, essential training.
Dr. Vanessa Velazquez-Ruiz, an emergency physician with Orlando Health, supports the law, noting that allergic reactions in children are rising.
“Anaphylaxis can be deadly if not treated immediately,” she said. “Having trained staff on hand is critical.”
Sheri Isler, a Florida mother, fought for the bill after discovering her son Lincoln’s school couldn’t administer an EpiPen in an emergency.
Lincoln is allergic to dairy, peas, chickpeas, and lentils and has needed epinephrine multiple times to survive rapid-onset reactions.
Before this law, most non-medical school staff in Florida were unable to provide epinephrine during emergencies.
With anaphylaxis, seconds matter. Symptoms can escalate quickly and include difficulty breathing, rash, vomiting, and even loss of consciousness.
Experts hope this new law leads to faster responses and ultimately saves lives in Florida’s schools.