AEDs for Private School and College Athletes

Mention "sudden cardiac arrest" and most people think "adults."
True.but.sudden cardiac arrest victimizes approximately 7,000 children in
the US every year. Children fall victim to SCA while at school or on a
playing field. School-age athletes are particularly vulnerable. Sudden
cardiac arrest (SCA) can strike adults and children of any fitness level at
any time and any place.

Yearly; sudden cardiac arrest kills approximately 365,000 people.

Like public schools; every private school and college should have access to
automated external defibrillators especially those with athletic programs to
keep children, staff, and visitors safe.

Private schools and colleges without athletic programs also need small,
portable automated external defibrillators (AEDs) because cardiac arrest
strikes people of all ages on campuses.

There is a growing movement to make portable AEDs accessible throughout
communities, athletic venues, colleges and schools. Many states including
New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania now mandate the placement of AEDs
throughout public schools. AED legislation is pending in many other states.
The fact is AEDs are life-saving - but only when AEDs are in place.

AEDs should be readily available throughout a school's campus, near
classrooms, gymnasium, cafeteria, office, parking lot, and athletic fields.
Sudden cardiac death in young athletes typically involves predominantly male
athletes who get a sudden, blunt, non-penetrating, and innocuous-appearing
trauma to the chest that results in immediate cardiac arrest and sudden
death from ventricular fibrillation. Resuscitation without immediate access
to defibrillation is very unlikely.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Sudden cardiac arrest happen during baseball, hockey, softball, lacrosse,
karate, and other sports activities where hard objects or body contact
causes impact to a person's heart and stomach. Unless defibrillation is
administered in minutes, the majority of SCA victims will not survive. When
defibrillation is administered within one minute of collapse, the survival
rate is 90 percent.

Schools only need to schedule AED/CPR classes that train teachers and staff
to use these small, portable automated external defibrillators; also known
as AEDs, giving schools trained responders with the ability to save live
without having to wait for emergency medical responders to arrive on the
scene. Schools can afford the AED/CPR training required to have automatic
operation (easy-to-use) AED machines with voice prompts that walk teachers
and staff through a few simple steps for defibrillation and CPR technique to
save lives. Schools can't afford a full time campus MD or EMT during school
hours AND during after-school activities. Defibrillators and AED/CPR
training are inexpensive. Sports professionals; athletic coaches and
trainers are the most effective and informed advocates for AEDs in schools.
They know sudden cardiac arrest can strike children of any fitness level and
the only effective treatment for sudden cardiac arrest is a shock from a
defibrillator.

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