As board members of the American Heart Association Upstate, we are writing to urge our community to take action on a critical issue affecting the health and safety of our students.
With Crossover Day fast approaching on April 10 in the South Carolina General Assembly, the fate of the Smart Heart Act (House Bill 4866) hangs in the balance. This legislation, if not passed by at least one chamber by the aforementioned date, will effectively be dead. Such a scenario would be a devastating blow to our efforts to ensure schools are adequately equipped to respond to instances of sudden cardiac arrest.
The urgency of passing the Smart Heart Act in South Carolina cannot be emphasized enough. Currently, our state lacks a comprehensive cardiac-emergency-response model for schools, putting the lives of students and faculty at risk. While existing law mandates automated external defibrillators in high schools and requires districts to have AED programs, it falls short of ensuring timely access during sudden cardiac arrests on campus. Moreover, there’s no requirement for AEDs at athletic venues, endangering student-athletes.
The Smart Heart Act would address these critical gaps by mandating public schools to adopt cardiac emergency response plans, ensuring AED availability within three minutes at athletic venues, and implementing venue-specific emergency-action plans for high schools. Additionally, it would mandate CPR, AED and first aid training for all high school sports coaches.
Tragically, there have been several instances of sudden cardiac arrest occurring on school grounds already this academic year. By enacting the Smart Heart Act, we can take proactive steps to protect our youth and student-athletes against preventable deaths.
Notably, Gov. Henry McMaster has expressed support for this bill and has requested its passage and subsequent signing into law. We must amplify awareness and advocacy surrounding the Smart Heart Act to ensure its passage and implementation.
We collectively implore our lawmakers and community members to prioritize the health and safety of our students by supporting the Smart Heart Act. Together, we can take meaningful action to mitigate the risks of sudden cardiac arrest and protect the well-being of our youth.
American Heart Association Upstate
864-627-4158
upstateAHA@heart.org
