Access to AEDs Act Would Save Lives

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress that would provide funding to schools for lifesaving equipment and training to respond to sudden cardiac arrest. The Access to AEDs Act was announced at an event today- March 29- on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Representatives Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick and Bill Posey, both of Florida, and Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey introduced the legislation.

Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick hosted the event, where American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown was joined by Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game on Jan. 2 and survived after receiving immediate CPR and defibrillation. Hamlin has since teamed up with the American Heart Association to launch his #3forHeart™ CPR Challenge aimed at saving more lives through CPR education and training.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest can strike at any time and occurs in 7,000-23,000 youth under the age of 18 each year in the United States. Prompt CPR and the use of a publicly available automated external defibrillator (AED) can more than double a victim’s chances of survival from SCA. The Access to AEDs Act would help ensure all schools are as prepared and trained to respond in a time of crisis as those on the sidelines of an NFL game.

The bill would extend access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), increase CPR training and enable the creation of cardiac emergency response plans in schools across the country. The American Heart Association has endorsed the bill and urges swift congressional action to save lives in communities nationwide.

“An estimated 350,000 people in the United States experience sudden cardiac arrest outside of the hospital each year, and 1 in 300 youth has an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk. Having community members trained in CPR, making AEDs available in schools and encouraging the development of emergency response plans will make schools better prepared to respond to sudden cardiac arrest and save lives,” said Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association.

The Access to AEDs Act is also currently endorsed by the American College of Cardiology, American Red Cross, NFL, Major League Baseball, NHL, NBA, WNBA, NASCAR, Major League Soccer, NCAA, National Alliance for Youth Sports, National Association of Secondary School Principals, American Federation of School Administrators, the National Association of State EMS Officials and many other organizations committed to the safety of all who enter school grounds.

Add Your Endorsement: Send a message to your Members of Congress urging them to support the bill.