Brennan bill to prevent cardiac arrest death in students passes House
Rep. Tim Brennan July 3, 2024 | 1:56 PM
DOYLESTOWN, July 3 – Legislation that would help save the lives of students who experience cardiac arrest at school and on the playing field passed the House today by a bipartisan vote of 157-45, according to the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Tim Brennan.
House Bill 1685 would amend the Public School Code to update policies on the availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), as well as staff training on their use.
The bill’s primary stipulations include:
- All public schools would be required to have at least one AED in each school building and available to each athletic activity, and to have at least one individual who is trained and certified in the use of an AED and CPR in the building during each school day.
- Purchase of AEDs would be considered an eligible school safety expense.
- Schools would be able to accept donations to obtain AEDs. The state Department of Education would be able to accept donations and equipment and distribute them to schools for use in AED instruction.
- Employees required to receive instruction would include a school nurse or designee, athletic coach, marching band director, physical education teacher, athletic trainer, and athletic training aide.
“Just days before being sworn in as a legislator, I watched along with the rest of the country Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player who grew up near Pittsburgh, suffer cardiac arrest on the football field,” said Brennan. “It left a big impression on me that Damar was saved by a first responder using an AED in addition to CPR. I’ve since introduced this and another AED bill that would require them in state-owned buildings.”
Having quick access to an AED dramatically increases the survival odds for someone experiencing cardiac arrest. According to a 2018 study published in Circulation, the American Heart Association’s journal, those suffering from cardiac arrest in a public setting have less than a 10% chance of surviving while awaiting an ambulance, but the survival rate increases to up to 70% if a bystander utilizes an AED before first responders arrive.
“Undiscovered heart conditions that affect the cardiovascular system, as well as sudden blows to the chest – common occurrences in many youth sports – are the most common causes of cardiac arrest in kids, and schools with AEDs and a plan increase the chances of survival to up to 80% from this usually fatal condition,” said Brennan. “Supporting a commonsense, inexpensive remedy to an urgent health issue ought to be an obvious choice, so I’m expecting fast concurrence from the Senate.”
A cardiac event can also be caused by substance use, low potassium from an eating disorder, exertion, and erythema.
“The New Hope-Solebury School District has been actively involved the Youth Heart Watch Program through CHOP and fully endorsed the provision of AEDs and related training for our faculty and staff,” said Dr. Charles W. Lentz, Ed. D., superintendent of NHSD. “If these efforts help to protect the life of even one child, they are indispensable. Representative Brennan’s efforts will continue to work to ensure that our students have the support they need in cardiac medical emergencies.”
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