President Biden hosts Damar Hamlin, family at the White House to support Access to AED Act

WASHINGTON D.C., — President Biden hosted McKees Rock’s Damar Hamlin and his family at the White House. The President commended Hamlin for his efforts to support the “Access to AED Act.”

Hamlin attended an event with lawmakers in Washington D.C. to announce the act.  It provides grants for automatic external defibrillators or AEDs, training and safety plans for all elementary and secondary schools.

“Cardiac arrest happened to more than 7000 kids under the age of 18 in our country.  Seven-thousand kids. The majority of them kids impacted our student-athletes,” Hamlin said. “For schools that have AEDs, the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest is 7 times higher.”

An AED saved Hamlin’s life when he collapsed during the Buffalo Bills game against Cincinnati Bengals in January.  Now he’s raising awareness to support the act.

Hamlin’s 8-year-old brother and nine and ten-year-old cousins were with him at the event.

“To me, these kids represent why we are all here today,” Hamlin said.  “As I was growing up playing football, I don’t ever recall thinking about CPR or where and AED was in my school or on the field.”

The bill has partisan support and was introduced by Florida Democrat Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick.  Pittsburgh’s Summer Lee is a co-sponsor.

Cherfilus-McCormick stressed how important training is.

“We have to have a reassurance that there are trained professionals there at schools.  That they have access,” Cherfilus-McCormick said.

Right now, 23 states require AEDs in schools.  Pennsylvania is not one of them.

State lawmakers in March introduced four new bills requiring AEDs in schools and sporting events, training on them, and CPR certifications for coaches and after-school supervisors.  All are before the Education Committee.

The Access to AEDs Act is backed by the American Heart Association, all professional sports leagues and the NCAA.

“Around the world, people have come together to focus on this need, and I’m amazed and encouraged by what we can do together,” Hamlin said.

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