Keeping Your High School Athletes Safe With a Portable AED Defibrillator Many high school athletic organizations are the core of their schools supported and celebrated by students, teachers, parents and the community as a whole. Whether it is on the court, field or track, most schools provide uniforms, funding and academic support to their student athletes. In addition, school officials need to make sure they are doing all they can to keep players safe and healthy, whether it be through certified CPR training, providing healthy snacks and water, adjusting requirements for students with special needs, or ensuring their practice and playing areas are equipped with a portable defibrillator. According to the American Heart Association, “The incidence of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest in high school athletes ranges from .28 to 1 death per 100,000 high school athletes annually in the U.S.” Tragedies like sudden cardiac arrest are most common among high school students due to the large number of participants and their being more prone to heart-related events.
One high school that knows this too well is Parkview High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Student Antony Hobbs suffered a sudden and fatal cardiac arrest on the basketball court. In an effort …