Proposed law named after Damar Hamlin would require AEDs at all school sporting events in Pennsylvania

A Pennsylvania state senator announced earlier in the week that he intends to introduce legislation that will be known as “Damar’s Law”. The proposed law, which is named after the Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, would require an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to be present at every sporting event that is hosted by a school district in the state of Pennsylvania. Hamlin experienced a sudden cardiac arrest against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2nd.

In his memo, Senator Marty Flynn noted that Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during the game demonstrates how critical timing and preparation are in the event of an emergency.

“Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is not only a leading cause of death across the general population in the United States, but also the leading cause of death among student athletes participating in athletic practices and competitions,” Flynn wrote in the memo. “During a recent professional football game, we witnessed the harrowing incident of SCA involving Damar Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, including the immediate response from trainers and medical personnel. Thankfully, we also have seen him make tremendous strides in his recovery.”

Flynn noted that most schools already have AEDs on location, but he wants to make sure that they’re available at all school sporting events and that athletic personnel are prepared to use them.

“Additionally, all coaches would be required to complete training on the proper use of AEDs. These requirements would ensure that the most critical component to increasing survivability after SCA is addressed: time,” Flynn said. “Damar Hamlin is a reminder that even elite athletes experience SCA. His recovery has been described as ‘miraculous’ by many, though it is undeniable that the immediate response saved his life,” Flynn said.

“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” the team said. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

Hamlin, 24, is in his second year with the Bills after they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He emerged as a key piece of the defense as he started 14 games over the last two seasons.

More information on Damar Hamlin’s injury

Hamlin exited the game with injury via ambulance in a terrifying moment for players and fans. He appeared to be injured on a tackle he made in the first quarter that ended with him getting back up to his feet seemingly okay after the play.

Quickly afterward, Hamlin stumbled and collapsed on the field — leading to a lengthy break in the game as he was attended to by medical staff with players surrounding him.

The broadcast returned during the break several times during the horrific moment, and players appeared to be in distress from what was happening on the field. The broadcast provided a small update to the situation, indicating that medical staff was performing CPR on Hamlin.

After another extended break during the broadcast as medical staff continued to work on Hamlin, another small update indicated that he had been successfully placed on a backboard and stretcher, but had not yet been fully taken in the ambulance. As Hamlin was loaded into the ambulance, he was receiving oxygen as well from the medical staff.

The situation left such a terrible impact on the players involved in the game that the officials and coaches for both teams made the decision to temporarily suspend the game. Both teams went back into the locker rooms to gather their thoughts and emotions and make a decision on the future of the game.

The traumatic event resulted in one of the scariest sights that has taken place on a football field, and the status of Monday night’s game was just an afterthought to players and fans alike as they waited to see an update on the health of Hamlin — as players showed every emotion possible on the field while waiting for him to exit in the ambulance.

On3’s Nick Schultz also contributed to this article.