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In Brief:
According to the American College of Cardiology, children in schools with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are seven times more likely to survive in the event of cardiac arrest than those without. This is true beyond schools and across locations and age groups. My father, Joel Hamroff, was diagnosed with heart disease at a young age and passed away from sudden cardiac arrest in 2007 at the gym, which did not have an AED on site. Communities must redouble efforts to make these and other life-saving tools and measures more accessible through policy advocacy, community education and personal lifestyle.
My father served as a longstanding board member, officer and volunteer for the American Heart Association (AHA). From tragedy often comes inspiration. I embarked on my own journey in AHA involvement, starting with fundraising through the New York City Marathon. From there, I became more involved through local AHA events such as the annual Long Island Golf Classic and, eventually, organization leadership as board chair for the Long Island Chapter, member of the Eastern States Region Board, and founder of the long-term advisory committee. This year, I was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Having reflected on my experience with this organization, I’ve learned that now more than ever, it’s critical to provide resources to better-educate our communities in living heart-healthy lives and in providing life-saving care for New Yorkers who experience a major cardiac event. In the nearly two decades that I have been involved with the AHA, I have been pleased to see substantial progress, but I am also keenly aware that more can—and should—be done.
The AHA lays out several key goals in its Strategic Policy Agenda 2024-2028, including expanding access to acute systems of care beyond hospitals. AEDs are a major part of these systems that consistently improve the chances for individuals to survive cardiac arrest. While tremendous strides have been taken to increase access to these life-saving devices (such as the bipartisan HEARTS Act signed into law last year), we as members and leaders of our community must take on the responsibility of educating our families, friends, employers and employees, and others on how to use this equipment–alongside other measures like CPR—to ensure proper preparation and response. This ensures that life-saving policies, such as the 2002 Louis’ Law in New York State, requiring all public and charter schools to have on-site AEDs and trained professionals, are as effective as possible.
This work, both interpersonally and through policy, is ongoing. Current measures on the table impacting our region include Nassau County’s ‘Robbie’s Law,’ which would provide and require the availability of AEDs in the county’s sports fields and courts. Advocating for this and similar legislation to local policymakers and broader communities is crucial to stopping preventable tragedies in their tracks.
Additionally, encouraging heart-healthy lifestyles with proper nutrition and physical activity is vitally important. Whether it’s organizing an event with colleagues or sponsoring a field day at a local school, it’s important to do your part in creating a community culture that values physical activity and other healthy practices.
Lastly, the mission of organizations like the AHA depends on supporting nonprofit rights across the board. Promoting policies that enable nonprofits to fulfill their missions and serve disadvantaged groups in healthcare and beyond should be a shared goal among all community members.
Major cardiac events are detrimental to families and communities. In many cases, however, they are avoidable through smart policy, proper training, lifestyle adjustments and advocacy. Rather than taking health and safety for granted, instead find proactive ways to promote and participate in the AHA’s noble mission.
Marc Hamroff serves as chairman of Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP in Garden City.
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