LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — In a 2018 report from the National Institute of Health, Dr. Myron Weisfeldt of John Hopkins University estimated that bystanders help save around 1,700 lives in the U.S. each year using an AED. CHI Saint Joseph's chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. Robert Salley, says these machines are important to have around large groups.
"Schools are where you have a large number of people who could possibly be at risk and might need the device,” says Dr. Salley.
Kentucky legislators are working to get House Bill 331 to the floor this session. The bill would mandate that every middle and high school have an AED, on-site. The bill would also require AED and CPR training for athletic coaches and faculty. Dr. Salley explains that these machines are easy to use.
"The minute you open the device, it starts to talk to you. It says, do step one, put the pads here, press the button. And it will tell you if you should defibrillate somebody electrically, or if you shouldn't, if there is a rhythm, if there is not a rhythm. It will do all of the heavy lifting for the person who is there to do it,” explains Dr. Salley.
Last week, the families of two high school athletes who died because of cardiac episodes, Cameron Batson and Matthew Mangine, stood with legislators looking to prevent this from happening again.
Matthew Mangine’s father, Matt Mangine Sr., said, "The loss of a child is unthinkable, surreal and something no parent should face."
Cameron Batson’s brother, Logan Batson, shared, "We can’t change the past. But we have been and will continue to do everything that we can to help prevent tragedies like this from happening to other families."
Dr. Salley says that cardiac events are rarer in young people but urges parents to be aware of their children's conditions. He explains that it's important for anyone around to know the signs when an event is happening.
He says, "Assume the worst and initiate CPR. If there's any question the training says check for a pulse, check for breathing, initiate CPR -- that's the crucial important thing. While that is initiated, someone can go acquire and obtain the AED defibrillator."
Now, Kentucky House Bill 331's sponsor, Representative Ruth Ann Palumbo, hopes the bill will have its committee this week. In a statement she says, “I am confident this bill will save the lives of a lot of students, and it’s scheduled to be voted on tomorrow morning in the House Education Committee meeting. I am working to make sure it becomes law so that the type of tragic situation we saw with Star Ifeacho does not happen again. I know many schools and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association are interested in seeing this become law.”
