A new federal bill signed by President Joe Biden this week will require public K-12 schools to develop cardiac emergency response plans and provide grants to support the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training. The legislation had the high-profile support of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who in 2023 suffered cardiac arrest during a game on national television.
“From schools to ball fields, this new law will help provide access to AEDs and education to teach CPR in schools,” Hamlin said in a statement released by the Buffalo Bills. “I’m proud and humbled that my experience has led to this moment, and this opportunity to protect kids across the country.”
Hamlin has also played football for the University of Pittsburgh and is originally from McKees Rocks.
Hamlin was 24 when he collapsed during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in January, 2023. After a blow to the chest during a tackle, his heart stopped abruptly, a condition known as commotio cordis. It’s a rare cause of cardiac arrest, according to the American Heart Association, with fewer than 10 cases reported annually in the U.S.
The athlete has since turned his near-death experience into a mission to improve heart health education around the country. Hamlin worked alongside New York U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and the National Football League’s Smart Heart Sports Coalition to introduce the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Research and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act.
Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone despite their age or athletic ability. And while the risk factor is low among young athletes compared to the broader U.S. population, sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of exercise-related death among young athletes, according to the University of Colorado Health.
And as many as 23,000 children experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year, according to the American Heart Association. Hamlin cited that statistic in a statement released by the American Heart Association Thursday.
“Every year, as many as 23,000 kids experience cardiac arrest in our country, and I believe that every one of them deserves the same access to lifesaving care that I had,” he said. “This bill will help to protect kids, and I’m grateful to the lawmakers and partners who have made it a priority.”
The HEARTS Act first passed the U.S. House in September and cleared the Senate earlier this month. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law Monday.
The legislation will support schools in developing cardiac emergency response plans, which according to the American Heart Association, can more than double survival rates from cardiac arrest. And with support to purchase AEDs — medical devices designed to analyze the heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock to restore the heart rhythm back to normal — schools will further increase the odds for kids and staff who experience sudden cardiac events. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that children at schools with AEDs were seven times as likely to survive as children in schools without them.
“By ensuring schools nationwide are equipped with cardiac emergency response plans, CPR training and AEDs, critical resources will be available to students, staff and visitors that can mean the difference between life and death during a cardiac emergency,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “The bipartisan HEARTS Act is a monumental step forward in saving lives from cardiac arrest on school grounds and athletic facilities across the country.”
In a statement earlier this month, the Buffalo Bills said their team has already experienced “first-hand the impact of these life-saving measures.” The team’s co-owner Kim Pegula has also survived cardiac arrest. She received lifesaving CPR from her daughter before paramedics arrived.
“Grants to schools for AEDs will ensure that students, staff, and families have access to critical resources when every second counts,” said Bills’ co-owner Terry Pegula. “This bill will make Western New York, and communities around the country safer, and ultimately save lives.”
The bill also calls for the Centers for Disease Control to generate a report on the prevalence and epidemiology for cardiomyopathy in both children and adults.
Though medical advocates celebrated the passage of the federal HEARTS Act this week, Brown said much work remains at the state level. Alongside the NFL’s Smart Heart Sports Coalition, the Association is advocating for all 50 states to require emergency action plans for athletic venues, clearly marked and available AEDs inside or near athletic venues and CPR and AED training for coaches.
“Our efforts continue to pass policies at the state level to require schools to develop cardiac emergency response plans and ensure they have the resources to do so,” Brown said. “Securing funding for these policies will protect more lives and create safer environments for students, staff and school visitors across the country.”
Pennsylvania legislators have introduced several bills that reflected the Smart Heart Sports Coalition’s policies, but all of them have fizzled out.
Legislation introduced by state Sen. Rosemary Brown would have required AEDs at all athletic events, CPR and AED training for staff and the implementation of a cardiac event emergency plan. It was unanimously approved by the Senate Education Committee, but tabled earlier this year over whether the requirement should apply to private schools.
Pennsylvania remains one of a few states that does not require schools to have AEDs or established cardiac emergency response plans.
Sen. Lindsey Williams, who represents parts of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and serves as the minority chair of the Senate Education Committee, said she was “disappointed” that legislators were unable to get a bill to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk before the legislative session ended. But she pledged that similar bills are expected to be introduced in the new year.
“I hope that this session we can get everyone on board so that all students have these safety measures in place regardless of what school they attend,” Williams said.