Bill would require schools to plan for cardiac emergencies

Bill would require schools to plan for cardiac emergencies

People learned how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation during a rally hosted by lawmakers and the American Heart Association at the Oklahoma Capitol on Monday.

The day also saw support shown in the House for a bill previously passed in the Senate that would require schools in the state to develop cardiac emergency response plans. Among other things, the measure would require coaches, nurses and others in schools to maintain training on how to use automated external defibrillator devices.

The bill advanced without a title, meaning a final version would have to be worked out and passed again by lawmakers before it could become law. A question to be resolved is whether funding might be found to help schools without AEDs acquire them.

Sterling Shepard, who played football at the University of Oklahoma and who plays in the NFL, and his mother, Cheri Shepard, took part in the rally and were honored on the House floor. Lawmakers also honored the memory of Derrick Shepard, Sterling’s father and Cheri’s husband, who also was a standout at OU and who played in the NFL before dying of sudden cardiac arrest in 1999 at the age of 35.

According to the American Heart Association, about 23,000 school-age children experience cardiac arrest each year. About 40% of such events are sports related.

Whether in the classroom or on a playing field, Heart Association officials have said having an emergency plan in place beforehand can save lives. CPR, if performed immediately, can triple a person’s chances for survival. In schools that have AEDs, approximately 70% of children survive cardiac arrest — seven times the overall survival rate for children.

“Think about how much time our students and their families spend in school facilities year-round,” said Alisa Northcutt, government relations director for the American Heart Association in Oklahoma. “Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any age at any time. We want all students and school personnel to be able to act fast and accurately to ensure high rates of survival.”

Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, filed Senate Bill 1921 to ensure that schools in Oklahoma are prepared for cardiac arrest emergencies. Rep. Bob Culver, R-Tahlequah, advocated for the bill on the House floor Monday.

“We’d all like to believe that bystanders are trained and ready to step up when we or someone we love suffers cardiac arrest. Sen. Rosino’s proposed legislation goes a step further to make it mandatory,” Northcutt said.