FRANKFORT, Ky. — The American Heart Association and other Kentucky organizations are urging legislators to fund the state’s AED fund to support Cardiac Emergency Response Plans in all Kentucky public schools.

What You Need To Know

  • Advocates called on the public to call their lawmakers to support House Bill 169 

  • House Bill 169 requires school districts to have an AED in all school buildings and athletic facilities  

  • More than 365,000 people have cardiac arrest outside of a hospital every year 

  • 90% of those would result in death without proper response from bystanders

As the General Assembly continues to craft the state’s budget for the 2024-2026 biennium, the AHA, Cincinnati Bengals and medical professionals gathered at the Capitol rotunda Monday and urged people to contact their elected officials to fund the state’s AED fund.

Matt Mangine, founder of the Matthew Mangine ‘One Shot’ Foundation, founded the nonprofit after losing his son Matthew to sudden cardiac arrest in 2020 after soccer practice.

“On campus that night there were five AEDs. The closest one was 250 feet away behind a locked door. It was not brought to him,” Mangine said.

Mangine said his son’s initial shock did not come until 12 minutes after collapsing. Since then, he has become an advocate for improving the health and safety of Kentucky students.

“Survival shouldn’t hinge on luck and happenstance; the presence of individuals trained in CPR and equipped with AED knowledge can make the difference of life and death,” Mangine said.

It’s why Mangine supported House Bill 331 last session, which required all school districts to have a portable AED in all middle and high schools and at school-sponsored events.

This session, House Bill 169 expands that legislation to require an AED in all public school buildings. State Representatives Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington, and Kim Moser, R-Taylor Mill, collaborated on both pieces of legislation.

“Sudden cardiac arrest is rare in young people, but it can happen and that’s why we desperately need the AED in every school building,” Palumbo said.

The bipartisan bill also requires districts to have a plan on file with the department of education with the number and location of AEDs in buildings and staff to know where they are located.

“That is critical because if you can’t find it, then you can’t use it,” Palumbo said.

According to the AHA, more than 356,000 people experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year in the U.S. Without the proper response from bystanders, 90% of these incidents will result in death.

Kentucky was one of the first states in the nation to pass evidence based public policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from cardiac arrest among public school students. It’s an initiative of the AHA, the NFL and Smart Heart Sports Coalition.

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