Legislation that would require a defibrillator at every high school sporting event in the state is awaiting Senate approval in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
The bill would mandate that all scholastic athletic events and practices have access to the same device that saved NFL player Damar Hamlin’s life after he suffered a crushing hit against the Cincinnati Bengals that millions watched on “Monday Night Football” last season.
An automatic external defibrillator, or AED, gives an electric shock through the chest wall to restore a normal heart rhythm. Hamlin’s heart stopped immediately after the collision. He received CPR on the field for nearly 20 minutes and other medical attention — including the use of an AED. He has recovered and is expected to play in Buffalo’s season opener on Monday.
Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 350,000 out-of-hospital incidents occurring each year. The use of a defibrillator and CPR during cardiac arrest can double the chance of survival, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reports 2,000 young, healthy people under the age of 25 will die in the U.S. each year of sudden cardiac arrest. And 1 in 25 of our nation’s high schools can expect to have a sudden cardiac arrest event each year.
Among those younger than 18, 39% of sudden cardiac arrests are sports-related, according to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.
The Senate bill, which is headed to the House for consideration, also would provide AED training for coaches and school staff members.
Another piece of legislation, House Bill 1628, would require AEDs and training in every school in the state. That bill was referred to the House Education Committee last month.
Sudden cardiac arrest did not cause Karns City Gremlins senior quarterback Mason Martin to collapse Friday on the field of Diehl Stadium during a game against Redbank Valley, but swift action by medical personnel on the sideline may have prevented additional damage.
After telling a referee that he was not well, Mason was taken from the field by ambulance then transported by helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he remains.
His mother, Stacy King Martin, said Mason had made some “purposeful movement” in his arms and that his collapsed lung had “completely recovered,” allowing doctors to remove a chest tube.
A GoFundMe has been set up for Mason’s family. It can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/tf5nc-mason-martin.
Football is a violent sport, but a heart stopping can occur in any sport at any time.
We urge our state legislators to take swift action to keeping both of these bills moving along the legislative path.
The life of a high school athlete may depend on it.
— JGG
