As Ohio pushes to require AEDs in schools, here's a look at the costs, planning involved

Taylor High School, thanks to the Matthew Mangine Foundation and former athletic director Larry Herges, is way ahead of the curve as far as getting automated external defibrillators (AEDs) into the schools to make it easier to save the lives of young athletes who experience sudden cardiac arrest.

Matt Mangine, a member of St. Henry’s Class of 2022 and the school soccer program, died June 16, 2020, after collapsing on the field during training. An AED wasn’t quickly available to be used on him. His parents, Kim and Matt, began the foundation to raise awareness of the importance of AEDs and having them available, and raising funds for more schools to have them.

More:A critical need to be prepared: Cardiac arrests at schools jeopardize kids' lives

Mangine Sr. testified to the Ohio legislature about House Bill 47, which representatives passed 84-6 Wednesday. The bill would require all schools and many municipal sports facilities to have an AED, a device used to restore a normal heart rhythm to a person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. The bill also requires staff to be trained on how to use the AED and have an emergency action plan.

“Currently, many schools do not have AEDs on site, and those that do may not have them readily accessible or adequately maintained,” Mangine said there. “This puts students, teachers, and staff at unnecessary risk. We need to make it mandatory for all schools to have AEDs on-site and easily accessible.”

How much do AEDs cost?

The bipartisan bill has widespread support from parents, athletic trainers and school officials. However, the Ohio Municipal League expressed some concern about the cost, ranging from $600 to $2,500 per device. Legislators are hoping for state funding for AEDs.

While AEDs can be hard to afford for some school districts, the Matthew Mangine Foundation has worked for the past three years to help supply AEDs to area schools.

Mangine Sr. said AED costs fluctuate depending on the manufacturer and available options.

“Most of the guidelines we use are the National Athletic Trainers Association guidelines for AEDs when working with a school or a club,” Mangine told the Enquirer. “The main goal when placing AEDs is to have them accessible within three minutes.”

About 350,000 people die each year because of cardiac arrests that occur outside of hospitals, according to the American Heart Association. About 7,000 of those are children.

What was the process like for Taylor?

Taylor High School has been one of the most proactive Greater Cincinnati high schools on training and the availability of AEDs.

Herges, who left his post as athletic director in June to take the AD job at Bloom-Carroll High School in central Ohio, has worked to have 15 available on the school campus. Some of those are designated to travel to outdoor off-campus venues.

Taylor High School has trained all of its staff and students in CPR skills. Herges’ work with the Mangines and training of Taylor’s staff and students drew the attention of the state legislature as Taylor hosted a public forum at the school in March with State Rep. Cindy Abrams.

Matt Mangine shared Taylor’s story with the legislature in March. Herges said Mangine helps Taylor gets AEDs for less than $1,400.

“To date we have trained over 700 athletes, coaches, and teachers at this school, and it continues to grow every day,” Mangine said at the hearing. “Every sport at Taylor requires a hands-on refresher training for the coaches who are already CPR/AED certified before the season starts. (Herges) wanted to take it one step further, so we also train every athlete the first week of practice.”

More:Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest a reminder of the importance of athletic trainers at games

Taylor, located in North Bend, Ohio, is one of Cincinnati’s smaller high schools, but Herges said the school had no trouble with funding.

“The cost of (the training) is ZERO and their (athletic trainers) have made it their passion to be ready for any catastrophic event,” Mangine testified. “We hope that all schools in Ohio implement education programs that mimic programs similar to this.”

In an interview with the Enquirer in April, Herges said the money is well-spent.

"I know there are schools that don’t have any,” he said. “It’s not been an issue with us because it’s a priority. If you’re going to spend $1,000 knowing it will save a life, it’s more important than anything else you can spend it on.”

How can an AED save a life? Moeller athletic trainer knows firsthand

In January, longtime Moeller athletic trainer Craig Lindsey said the school is fully prepared to handle such an emergency. In fact, he and the school already have.

More:Quick response saves life of Centerville lacrosse player

In 2016, Centerville lacrosse senior midfielder Grant Mays appeared to make a gutsy play shortly after halftime of a game at Moeller, where the Elks trailed the Crusaders, 8-2, the Enquirer's Scott Springer reported. A Crusader shot on goal hit Mays on the left side of his chest, below his heart. On instinct, he picked up the ground ball and started running downfield. Then, he collapsed. Immediately, the referee stopped play.

Lindsey had an AED there to revive Mays from a condition called "commotio cordis.”

“Without the AED, it could have gone the other way,” Lindsey said at the time. “We’re so blessed that it did its job. You take it to practice and games every single day, but (until then) I never had to use it in 21 years.”

In partnership with the Mangine Foundation, Moeller has since acquired two more AEDs and has several available for use at its variety of facilities. Lindsey said he and his staff train coaches and make sure they are CPR certified in case they are needed to be the first responder.

“Athletic trainers cannot be everywhere,” Lindsey said. “A lot of schools only have one. Having immediate access to an AED, it’s hard to overstate how important that is. Every minute that passes that your brain is not receiving oxygen from the blood, your chance of survival decreases. AEDs shock the heart to return it to its normal rhythm. Your heart is quivering; it’s not functioning. The AED is extremely important to provide that shock to return to its normal rhythm.”

Opinion: CPR training, AEDs help us all win the game of life

How crucial is an emergency action plan that involves AEDs?

Herges was secretary of the Southwest Ohio Athletic Directors Association before leaving this summer, and in recent months he was constantly fielding calls from other administrators with questions about action plans.

Herges said awareness of AEDs and sudden cardiac arrest is starting to catch up with the awareness of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses, which have brought current athletic association rules regulating practice and games in the heat.

“With the heat index every summer, we cancel practice,” he said. “Some people tell me, ‘You’re an idiot. We played outside every day.’ My response is I’m doing everything I can to save a life today, make sure we don’t put kids in a situation where we have to save a life. The AEDs a big part of it. But there’s a lot more involved with it. We have cooling tubs, if we have a kid overheat, that increases the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. When we have games outside on the turf, we have an ice bath ready to go and we have one outside the trainers’ room. Safety is my No. 1 priority.”

How do CPR and an AED work together?

The American Heart Association recommends that AED usage should be paired with CPR training because most AEDs are able to record and analyze the heart’s rhythm.

Lindsey and other trainers recommend everyone get CPR certified and learn how to use an AED.

He said parents should be proactive in asking about AEDs and action plans at their children’s schools and everywhere they compete and practice.

The American Heart Association offers CPR AED eLearning and instructor-led training courses at heart.org/workforcetraining.

What's next for House Bill 47?

Under the proposed changes, the Ohio Department of Education would develop a procedure for reporting schools that don't comply. The bill heads to the Ohio Senate for review before heading to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk.