Public awareness of sudden cardiac events has increased in recent years as cases involving athletes – including Allegheny County native and Buffalo Bulls player Damar Hamlin – have drawn attention to these seemingly random medical emergencies. Cardiac arrest commonly results from an undiagnosed heart condition with presenting symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Tragically, sudden cardiac events are often fatal without immediate intervention: outside of a hospital, the chance of surviving cardiac arrest can be as low as 10 percent and, despite available technology, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are only used about 6 percent of the time. But studies have shown that use of an AED, when combined with CPR, increases the survival rate of a sudden cardiac event by half and reduces the possibility of permanent impairments.
 
That is why I’m introducing legislation that would require the presence of an AED at all interscholastic events. Additionally, this bill would require public and nonpublic schools to develop and implement an emergency action plan to respond to sudden cardiac events. As many of us witnessed during the recent Damar Hamlin incident, any athlete, regardless of age, can experience cardiac arrest. Therefore, we must extend this protection to all student athletes. This two-step approach will continue our progress towards ending preventable deaths among our student athletes.
 
Please join me in sponsoring this critical legislation.
 
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 1993: P.L.30, No.14
Printer's No. 3214: P.L.30, No.14, P.L.30, NO.14
Printer's No. 3480: P.L.30, No.14