For many communities, the first priority when it comes to heart safety is putting automated external defibrillators in schools. Here are just a few of the reasons why it’s crucial to equip schools with this life-saving equipment and provide training in its use:

• Sudden cardiac arrest strikes people of all ages and all fitness levels. Children with undiagnosed heart conditions may look perfectly healthy and be actively involved in sports. In addition, sports such as hockey, lacrosse, and baseball—in which a child could be struck in the chest—can trigger a form of sudden cardiac arrest known as commotio cordis.

Click to download "AEDs in schools" PDF to share with your school district

• Schools are not only gathering places for large numbers of children; they are filled with teachers, staff, parents, and visitors to school-hosted events. In a recent study of high schools equipped with AEDs, the survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest was an impressive 64 percent — and nearly two-thirds of the people rescued were adults.

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia require AEDs in many schools (requirements vary by state). Some states require teachers or school coaches to be trained in AEDs use; others make available grant money to encourage schools to purchase AEDs. The state of Oregon recently passed legislation that mandates AEDs in schools by 2015. Hawaii is currently considering school AED legislation. House Bill 1919 Senate Bill 2095 would require AEDs in middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities beginning with the 2012 school year and in elementary schools by the 2014-2015 school year.

There are hundreds of reasons for having AEDs in schools. Here are just two recent ones: A school in Missouri uses its AED to restart the heart of a 13-year-old boy who collapsed in gym class. And a principal who suffered cardiac arrest in a staff meeting is rescued by staff using the school’s AED.

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