Each year in the United States, cardiac arrest occurs in up to 23,000 youth under 18, and it is the leading cause of death for student athletes. When someone nearby promptly starts CPR and uses a publicly available automated external defibrillator (AED), it can double or even triple the chances of a victim surviving a sudden cardiac arrest.
Last week, advocates from the American Heart Association visited congressional offices in Washington, DC. They asked their elected officials in the Senate and the House of Representatives to support bipartisan legislation that would help ensure our schools are prepared to respond in a cardiac emergency. Join us in this work by calling your representatives. They have the power to move this legislation forward. They need to hear from you!
Call Your Congressional Representatives Today
Both the Access to AEDS Act and the HEARTS Act are bipartisan bills being considered in Congress that will improve the chain of survival in elementary and secondary schools by authorizing federal assistance to school districts to support CPR and AED training for students, teachers and staff. Both pieces of legislation would provide funds for the purchase of AEDs and other necessary equipment. It would support the development of cardiac emergency response plans, which have been shown to increase cardiac arrest survival rates. In short – it would save the lives of children who suffer cardiac arrest.
So, will you call your Representatives and ask them to stand up to save the lives of young people by supporting the Access to AEDS Act and the HEARTS Act without delay?
Calling your Representatives is quick and easy. To get started, just click here. Then simply enter your information. Our system will call you and connect you to your lawmakers. If you’d prefer to not make a phone call, you can send your representatives an email by clicking this link.
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