Does your child, grandchild or other young person you care about play a school sport? Would you want that athlete to receive the fastest possible medical attention should something happen during an event? If you do, here’s some good news.
Representatives in Harrisburg agree with you. In early July, the House passed HB 1685 which requires an AED (automatic external defibrillator) at all school athletic events. The bill passed 157-45, with bipartisan support.
Sounds sensible, right? To have lifesaving equipment immediately at hand.
So why would Rep. Leslie Rossi vote “No”? She says there is too much room for error in AED use. Yet the bill requires coaches, marching band directors and other school staff to be trained in CPR and in AED use. Plus AEDs include spoken step-by-step instructions, thus mitigating operator error. Most schools already have AEDs. HB 1685 would affect only the small number that don’t. Possibly a school where your child has an event.
Margie Zelenak is running against Rossi in this year’s election. Zelenak has trained in CPR and AED. She fully supports the AED bill.
Vote for the candidate who would offer the greatest protection to every child. Vote for Margie Zelenak.
Helen Sitler
Ligonier