The AEDs are also required in all municipally owned or operated sports and recreation venues, where student athletes often play. The goal is to help prevent students from dying from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which is when someone's heart abruptly stops beating and is the number one killer of student athletes, according to the Mayo Clinic.
"The difference these devices make is astounding," said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who signed the bill. "Having them on standby in our schools to safeguard our students is a must."
The Mayo Clinic estimates deaths from sudden cardia arrest in young athletes ranging from one in 50,000 to one in 100,000 per year. It is much more common in older adults.
Under prior law, AEDs were permitted, but not required. Under the new law, AEDs are mandated, and the Ohio Department of Health is required to develop a model emergency action plan for schools to use them.
In the last two years, there have been several examples of an AED saving someone's life during a sports event.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin famously suffered a cardiac event during a game against the Bengals in January 2023, but an AED helped restore his heartbeat on the field.
Locally, Stebbins High School's Ebonie Sherwood underwent cardiac surgery at University of Cincinnati Medical Center in March 2023 after collapsing during track practice. Her parents told the Dayton Daily News she had no heartbeat, but an AED restored it.
The law also requires public and private schools to hold an informational meeting about the warning signs and symptoms of SCA before each athletic season.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will be developing a system for violations of the new law to be reported.
Dr. Brian Schwartz, a Kettering Health cardiologist, said having AEDs more available will save lives. He said it was good that trainers and coaches would be trained, but suggested it could be helpful to train parents and students to use the device as well.
"The faster we can restart the heart, the better the chance of survival," Schwartz said.
While the law is targeted toward kids who play sports, Schwartz said patients have come in who collapse after climbing stairs in a stadium to see their grandkid play. Recently, someone collapsed on a pickleball court near his home, Schwartz said.
Schwartz said kids with a family history of sudden cardiac arrest or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy should talk to a pediatrician.
Nicole Ward, mother of Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, attended a press conference and signing of the bill last week. The Wards founded the Make Them Known Your Name Foundation following the loss of Denzel's father to a sudden cardiac arrest.
"With this bill, we will create a new standard of AED access and preparedness," Nicole Ward said. "It will become normal to enter our schools and recreation centers and be able to rest knowing that an AED is on-site, and that people know exactly what to do and how to respond confidently and quickly in the event of a cardiac emergency."
Staff writers Tom Archdeacon and Avery Kreemer contributed to this report.
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