Good Samaritan law

First Aid & CPR Oklahoma

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 Oklahoma Good Samaritan Act — 76 O.S. § 5 (Title 76, Section 5)
Scope of protection A person who, under emergency circumstances suggesting that giving aid is the only alternative to probable death or serious injury, in good faith, voluntarily and without compensation renders or attempts emergency care to an injured person is not liable for acts or omissions, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton wrongs.
Duty to rescue No
AED liability protection Protected
Statute AED immunity is provided within the Good Samaritan framework (76 O.S. § 5 and related AED provisions): a person who in good faith and without expectation of compensation renders emergency care using an automated external defibrillator outside a medical facility is immune from civil liability for resulting injury, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
No legal duty to rescue AED protection

Your protection under the law

In Oklahoma, the Good Samaritan Act (76 O.S. § 5) protects a person who, in emergency circumstances where giving aid appears to be the only alternative to probable death or serious injury, in good faith, voluntarily, and without pay renders care to an injured person. They are liable for their acts or omissions only for gross negligence or willful or wanton wrongs. The good-faith use of an AED outside a medical facility falls under the same protective framework.

No duty to act, but every reason to

Oklahoma does not legally require you to step in: the choice to help is entirely yours. The law nonetheless rewards it with solid protection, so long as you act without self-interest and in good faith, AED included. Nothing in Oklahoma law, then, should stay a good Samaritan's hand — only uncertainty about what to do can still hold you back.

Why training matters

Under Oklahoma's shifting skies, where tornadoes and violent storms multiply sudden emergencies, first responders can't always arrive first. In those moments, it is the hands of a neighbor, a coworker, or a trained passerby that make the difference between life and death. CPR and first-aid training prepares you to keep your composure, act methodically, and use an AED when every second counts. Get trained and become the decisive link your community hopes for without even knowing it.