Schools and athletic events in Louisiana are now required to have an automated external defibrillator, better known as an AED. Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields authored the legislation, and he said two lives have already been saved in those settings because an AED was readily available.
“One instance where a kid playing basketball at Southern Lab, basically passed out. No pulse no heartbeat and they used the AED machine and brought him back to life and he’s here to talk about it,” said Fields.
The Louisiana Department of Health will have oversite of the devices, so they are properly maintained. Fields said LDH will also provide instruction on how an AED should be used.
“Provides the training and CPR, because they work hand-in-hand, the AED and CPR training,” said Fields.
In addition to athletics, Fields said there’s a need in the classroom for AEDs. Lawmakers dedicated $1.5 million to pay for the devices. Schools that don’t have a device can apply one through state education.
Fields said he’d been working on the “Jump Start Your Heart” legislation prior to the collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin in January during the Cincinnati Bengals game. He said the incident only highlighted the need for AEDs and CPR training.
“It inspired us to move quicker. We were working on this legislation for some time, but at the end of the day, obviously, that incident shocked the consciousness of the entire nation,” said Fields.
Senate Bill 12, now Act 234, also dictates that schools should have a response plan to incidents that involve the use of AEDs and CPR.
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