Hello Westfield! Hope you’re all having a fantastic Saturday. The past few weeks have certainly been crazy at the Statehouse. Although I have been at Drill for most of this week with my Army Reserve unit, my office still was able to go through dozens of your co-sponsor requests. It’s great to see that so many Westfield citizens are actively engaged in the Commonwealth’s government.
This week, I wanted to discuss a bill that I filed in collaboration with Susan Canning from KEVS Foundation. KEVS Foundation’s main focus is the prevention of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in young, student athletes. Last session, they were able to help pass S2449 that will require AEDs in schools. That bill will save lives for years to come.
The bill we filed this year aims to prevent student athletes from needing AEDs in the first place. This year, HD1203 An Act relative to sudden cardiac arrest awareness in student athletes hopes to put into place common sense measures to educate the school athletic community about Sudden Cardiac Arrest. If passed, the regulations would be very similar to the concussion protocols already in place. Adults involved with sports, i.e. coaches, nurses, marching band directors, etc…, would be required to attend a training to learn the signs and symptoms of cardiac distress. They would also be required to remove from play any athlete exhibiting symptoms until they are checked out by a doctor.
KEVS Foundation and Sue Canning really do fantastic work, and I am happy to work with them on sponsoring such important legislation. If you want to know more about the bill, or have any other questions or concerns, as always please feel free to reach out to my office. We can be reached at (413) 572-3920 or [email protected]. Have a great week!
