A measure intended to enhance emergency preparedness in school athletic programs has been signed into law.
House Bill 71 (as amended), sponsored by House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris (D-Dover), requires all coaches to be trained in CPR, first aid, and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
The bill also mandates that every school with an athletic program have a clear Emergency Action Plan for cardiac events, ensures AEDs are easily accessible at all athletic events, and requires regular maintenance and registration of the devices with state emergency services.
Among the co-sponsors of the bipartisan bill were State Rep. Danny Short (R-Seaford), a lifetime member and past chief of the Seaford Volunteer Fire Department, and State Rep. Valerie Jones Giltner (R-Georgetown), a retired critical care nurse.
The legislation was unanimously approved by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Matt Meyer at a public event on Wednesday.
