Good Samaritan law

First Aid & CPR New Jersey

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 New Jersey Good Samaritan Act — N.J.S.A. 2A:62A-1
Scope of protection Any person, including a licensed health professional or a volunteer member of a first-aid, ambulance or rescue squad, who in good faith renders emergency care at the scene of an accident or emergency, or while transporting the victim to a facility, is not liable for civil damages for acts or omissions in rendering that care. Immunity does not extend to gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Duty to rescue No
AED liability protection Protected
Statute AED immunity is provided at N.J.S.A. 2A:62A-27: a person or entity that in good faith acquires, provides, uses or supervises the use of an automated external defibrillator is immune from civil liability, subject to statutory training and maintenance requirements, except for gross negligence or willful/wanton misconduct.
No legal duty to rescue AED protection

Your protection under the law

In New Jersey, the Good Samaritan Act (N.J.S.A. 2A:62A-1) protects any person — including a licensed health professional or a volunteer of a first-aid, ambulance, or rescue squad — who in good faith renders emergency care at the scene of an accident or while transporting the victim. No civil liability can arise from their acts or omissions, except for gross negligence or willful misconduct. AED-specific immunity at § 2A:62A-27 further covers acquiring, providing, using, and supervising the device.

No duty to act, but every reason to

New Jersey places no legal duty on you to rescue: helping remains a personal decision. The law instead chooses to encourage the act by broadly covering the good-faith rescuer, from the ordinary bystander to the squad volunteer, AED included. The only real risk is not legal — it's not knowing what to do when the moment demands it.

Why training matters

In New Jersey's density — tight suburbs, busy highways, crowded summer beaches — a sudden collapse rarely happens far from a bystander, but too often far from a trained one. Yet it is the first few minutes, before help arrives, that decide survival and recovery. CPR and first-aid training gives you the reflexes to act fast, compress correctly, and guide those around you. Learn these skills: the next person who needs them may be standing right beside you.