Indiana mother pushes legislature to pass defibrillators law

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Senate Invoice 369 would make it obligatory for all Indiana faculties to have automated exterior defibrillators, often called AEDs, in any respect athletic occasions, together with practices.

Julie West and her nonprofit Play for Jake are lobbying the Indiana Legislature to go the measure. The invoice is now in a convention committee after passing each the Home and Senate with amendments.

West’s son Jake, a two-sport athlete at LaPorte Excessive Faculty, died in 2013 after leaving the observe area.

“Even in highschool, he would see somebody form of being omitted and picked on and he was the one that will get up for that little one or carry folks in, he simply had a smile on his face on a regular basis,” the mom stated.

West stated her son by no means confirmed any indicators of coronary heart bother or different well being points till he died. “His first signal of something being fallacious together with his coronary heart was sudden cardiac arrest, and that occurs typically. That may very well be the primary signal of a situation of a coronary heart situation, in order that’s why it’s so vital that we get our kids screened on the entrance finish.”

Senate Invoice 369 might require that AEDs be current in different extracurricular actions, similar to band and drama practices. The AEDs can be paid for out of the state’s Protected Faculties Fund, a pot of cash put aside to pay for varsity security enhancements. West stated, “I’m hoping ultimately mandated for all faculties to have these sudden cardiac emergency response plans of their college, we observe each different drill, we all know what to do we all know defend children.”

The Play for Jake Basis can also be teaming up with different nonprofits to carry coronary heart screenings for kids and teenagers so doubtlessly lethal coronary heart illnesses could be revealed earlier than it’s too late.

“I needed to get up daily and determine: ‘What would Jake need me to do? How does he need me to stay?’ I do know my son effectively sufficient, and he’s such an ideal all-around child, and he would need me to do what I’m doing now,’” West stated.