Law requires AEDs in schools and on sidelines

Ohio’s public and charter schools along with publicly owned recreation centers and sports fields must now have automated external defibrillators or AEDs on-site after Governor Mike DeWine signed new legislation into law Tuesday.

Supporters said making AEDs mandatory will save lives.

The devices can shock a person’s heart back into rhythm following sudden cardiac arrest.

“It’s not just for a child or athlete or whatever,” said Stephanie Kornet. “It could be the principal of the school. It could be a bystander at the game.”

Kornet’s 17-year-old son, Alec, died after an undetected heart condition caused him to go into sudden cardiac arrest during hockey practice in 2017.

RELATED: Ohio schools, rec facilities not required to have life-saving AEDs

For the last year and a half, Kornet was among those fighting to for passage of House Bill 47.

“Knowing what we know as parents, I don't think I would be able to sleep at night if we didn't do this.”

For years, she and her family worked to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, only to watch as it played out on national television during a Monday Night Football game in Cincinnati in January 2023.

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the turf and was saved when his heart was shocked back into rhythm by an AED.

In the days that followed, News 5 Investigators told you how there was no law requiring AEDs in Ohio’s schools and on the sidelines.

At the time, Columbus-area Representative Richard Brown said he planned to sponsor what became House Bill 47.

At Tuesday’s bill signing ceremony in Worthington, Brown was joined by former Bengals head athletic trainer Paul Sparling.

Sparling was on the sidelines when Hamlin collapsed.

He believes the AEDs and staff training required by the new law will help protect lives.

“Anyone within close proximity of an AED can have a second chance when it’s implemented properly,” said Sparling.

Kornet believes that’s why the law is so important.

She saw proof the law was needed weeks ago when she learned the Lyndhurst City Pool near her own home lacked a working AED.

“When I heard that, my head spun a little bit,” said Kornet.

So the foundation named for her son, 4Alec, donated an AED to the city.

She believes making them mandatory will make a difference.

“I think it’s going to save a lot of lives,” said Kornet Tuesday evening after returning from the bill signing. “Like it should be common sense. There’s fire extinguishers everywhere. Why aren’t there AEDs everywhere?”