American Heart Association urges South Carolina lawmakers to support the Smart Heart Act before another young life is at risk
As students across South Carolina return to school this fall, the American Heart Association is reminding school leaders, parents, and legislators that safety must go beyond locked doors and fire drills. It must also include a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) — a policy that can mean the difference between life and death.
Just ask the family of then 11-year-old Luke Barrett, a fifth grader at an elementary school in Florence, SC. Luke collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest just after coming inside from recess. Thanks to quick action by trained school staff who recognized the signs, called 911, and immediately began CPR and used an AED, Luke survived. His story is living proof that having a practiced cardiac emergency response plan in place saves lives.
Sadly, not every school is as prepared.
Research from the American Heart Association shows that more than 356,000 people in the U.S. experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital every year including an estimated 23,000 children under 18. In these critical moments, 90 % of victims die unless someone
