Good Samaritan law

First Aid & CPR Pennsylvania

The Good Samaritan: compassion and protection

Drawn from the Bible (Luke 10:25-37), the parable of the Good Samaritan tells of a traveller left for dead who is rescued by a stranger that tends to him and sees to his care. Beyond its religious context, it carries a universal message: the moral duty to help others in danger, through compassion and altruism.

Inspired by this principle, many so-called Good Samaritan laws have been enacted around the world to protect those who assist in good faith during an emergency from legal action. The exact scope of that protection, however, varies from one jurisdiction to another: here is what the law applicable to your region provides.

Statute citation

Governing act Pennsylvania Good Samaritan law — 42 Pa.C.S. § 8331 (medical Good Samaritan civil immunity); nonmedical immunity at § 8331.1
Scope of protection A person who renders emergency care, first aid or rescue at the scene of an emergency, gratuitously and in good faith, is not liable for ordinary negligence in his acts or omissions; liability remains only for gross negligence. Section 8331 covers medical/health providers, and § 8331.1 extends nonmedical Good Samaritan immunity to trained lay rescuers.
Duty to rescue No
AED liability protection Protected
Statute AED immunity is provided at 42 Pa.C.S. § 8331.2: a person who in good faith uses, or acquires and maintains, an automated external defibrillator in an emergency is not liable for civil damages, except for acts intentionally designed to harm or grossly negligent acts, provided training, maintenance and EMS-activation requirements are met.
No legal duty to rescue AED protection

Your protection under the law

In Pennsylvania, 42 Pa.C.S. § 8331 protects a person who gratuitously and in good faith renders emergency care, first aid, or rescue at the scene of an emergency: they are not liable for ordinary negligence, only gross negligence can attach liability. Section 8331.1 extends this nonmedical immunity to trained lay rescuers. AED use falls under § 8331.2, which covers both operating and acquiring and maintaining the device, provided the training and EMS-activation requirements are met.

No duty to act, but every reason to

Pennsylvania imposes no legal duty on you to rescue: stepping in remains a personal choice. The law nonetheless encourages that choice by explicitly protecting the trained lay rescuer, reserving liability for gross negligence alone. This detail is no small thing: the heightened immunity of § 8331.1 and the AED coverage directly reward those who took the time to learn.

Why training matters

From the streets of Philadelphia to the rural valleys of the Appalachians, Pennsylvania holds millions of homes where cardiac arrest can strike before the ambulance rounds the corner. The state's law goes so far as to reward training, offering heightened protection to those who know how to act. Taking a CPR and first-aid course thus earns you both confidence and legal cover, while making you able to save a life. Get trained, and make your preparation the finest insurance for those around you.