Defibtech Praises Bipartisan “Access To AEDs” Act

March 30, 2023

Alongside Damar Hamlin Foundation & Other High-Profile Supporters, Company Travels To Washington D.C. For Bill Introduction  

Guilford, Conn. - Defibtech, a Connecticut manufacturer of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and life-saving resuscitation equipment, traveled to Washington D.C. this week to participate in a congressional press conference introducing the “Access To AEDs” Act aimed at increasing availability and awareness of AEDs in public schools.

Introduced by U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20) and co-sponsored by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL-8), Access To AEDs directs the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to award $25 million dollars of grants to elementary and secondary schools who partner with a nonprofit health care organization to develop and implement a program promoting access to AEDs in schools. These grants can support purchasing or replacing AEDs and related equipment, as well as developing a cardiac emergency response plan.

The legislation comes less than three months after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was resuscitated by medical staff using an AED before a national television audience of more than 23 million Americans. According to the American Heart Association, there are more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually in the United States, with more than 7,000 of them in children. Additionally, sports-related sudden cardiac arrest accounted for 39% of those occurring in children under the age of 18.  

“Access to AEDs is vital to improve the chances of survival for anyone who suffers Sudden Cardiac Arrest. This bill provides schools with grants for the equipment, education, and training necessary to aid those in crisis,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

“As a mom and member of Congress, I’m on a mission to expand life-saving health care tools for our children. AEDs were created to save lives, and that’s exactly what this bill aims to do — protect the lives of our school children when disaster strikes,” added Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick.

“Damar Hamlin is living proof of the paramount importance of AEDs, and we were honored to stand alongside his foundation, lawmakers and advocates to introduce this critical piece of legislation,” said AJ Pace, Vice President of Global Marketing for Defibtech. “The bill not only will put more equipment in schools, but also raise awareness about the need to have an emergency action plan in place. Sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere, at any time, and having the tools and training in place can make the difference between life and death.”

“The use of CPR and AEDs are vital to the survival of those who suffer a cardiac emergency. Providing a pathway for schools to implement a cardiac emergency response plan, which includes CPR and AED usage is applauded by Parent Heart Watch, whose vision is to eliminate preventable deaths from sudden cardiac arrest in youth by 2030. Heart screenings, CPR training, publicly accessible AEDs, and cardiac emergency response plans to assure a timely response in an emergency will save lives,” said Andrea Baer, Executive Director of Parent Heart Watch, a national non-profit dedicated to protecting youth from sudden cardiac arrest.

In addition to Defibtech, attendees at the press conference included: the American Heart Association, Damar Hamlin’s “Chasing M's Foundation" Charitable Fund, representatives from the four major professional sports leagues and a litany of other third-party supporters.

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About Defibtech
Defibtech is a leader and innovator in the design and manufacture of life-saving resuscitation devices including automated external defibrillators (AEDs), mechanical chest compressors, and related accessories that the public and healthcare professionals depend on every day.  With more than 500,000 AED units shipped worldwide, Defibtech is committed to saving lives by producing the best AEDs that advanced medical technology has to offer. Headquartered in Guilford, Conn., all of Defibtech’s life-saving products are conceived and developed in-house and are designed and built in the United States at their state-of-the-art facilities. For more information about Defibtech and its products, visit www.defibtech.com.