victims' parents push for school defibrillators
By ersmommy1
@ersmommy1 (12587)
United States
May 2, 2008 10:12am CST
Parents of two teens who died of cardiac arrest push for defibrillators in all schools
Automated external defibrillators can shock the heart back into rhythm
Bill introduced in U.S. House to require defibrillators in public schools
The 2 teens that died were during sporting events, but this can apparently happen anywhere, at any time. Do you think this bill will pass? Do you think it is a necessity? I do because Calling 911 and waiting for paramedics is not enough, the average response time is eight to 12 minutes.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@fluffysue (1482)
• United States
30 May 08
I think it is a great idea to have them in schools. I'm not sure whether or not they should be required, but it makes so much sense to have them. Particularly as we are hearing about more and more incidents like this occurring.
@DaddyOfTheRose (2934)
• United States
26 May 08
It has to be the most tragic thing when a parent looses a child. There must be a tremendous and terrible impetus to demand something be different. Something should change. Something was wrong which allowed this terrible thing to happen. In some way, it has to be someone's fault instead of an unavoidable bad thing which happened by a fluke chance.
People have heart attacks everywhere and we can't have defibrillators on every street corner. People have heart attacks in grocery stores, at the gym, even in the library. The fact is that we can't put defibrillators everywhere that they might be needed.
There is a cost to placing the defibrillators and a possible return on that investment if they save save a young child's life. The return on investment is not only material, the life of the student. It also includes the investment which was made in the student up to that point in their life and the good that they person might do with the rest of their lives, including good done by their descendants if they are good parents. The parents, too, are given a great boon in that their child is still alive which, emotionally and psychologically speaking must be a crushing despair indeed to have to bear.
It might not make much sense in terms of costliness and the likelihood of such a rare event. It might make more sense just not to press kids that hard athletically or some other precautions. But, I would find it hard for any politician to oppose such an effort raised by parents who have lost a child.
