Senator Richard Ross joined colleagues in applauding the passage of new legislation relative to automated external defibrillator (AED) access on school grounds in Massachusetts. The bill, recently signed into law by Governor Charles Baker, requires that all schools in the state have automated external defibrillators on site by July 2018. Senator Ross has been very supportive of this legislation passing in the senate.
Automated external defibrillators are medical devices that analyze heart rhythms and can deliver electrical shocks that can help reestablish an effective rhythm in the heart during sudden cardiac arrest.
“Losing a child to sudden cardiac arrest is something a family should never have to endure,” said Senator Ross. “When the lives of our youth are in jeopardy, it seems like common sense to ensure that these defibrillators are accessible on all school grounds. The legislature has always valued the health and safety of students, and this AED bill will add another layer of protection for student athletes.”
The bill is one of nearly 100 pieces of legislation that made it to the governor’s desk in the final days of the session. Several families of children who died after suffering sudden cardiac arrest during athletic events have played an active role in the bill’s passage as well. Currently, about 20 percent of the state’s schools do not have AEDs.
Please contact the office of Senator Ross with any questions or concerns at (617) 722-1555 or [email protected].
Issue Date:
February, 2017
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