It is a terrible tragedy that Caleb died from sudden cardiac arrest at school. The tragedy is magnified by the fact that the school community might have been able to save him if automated external defibrillators had been readily available. We urge schools everywhere to develop emergency response plans that include AED deployment. Legal liability concerns are a copout. For more information, see http://www.sca-aware.org/campus/legal-concerns and http://www.sca-aware.org/schools. Mary Newman, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation

I can not understand why schools don't have AEDs. Many states have them in schools already and lives are being saved. Think not only about the students but also the teachers, parents, and grandparents on campus everyday. The AED itself talks you through the procedure. It is not difficult to use. There are Good Samaritan laws for protection. Countless lives could be saved, My late son might have survived SCA if his workplace had had an AED on the premise.

My name is savanna. I'm 12 years old. My family has a history of Long QT Syndrome. This past summer I received an AICD (automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator) although I wasn't having any episodes, my parents and my cardiologist felt this would be the best (back up) option for me...especially since our schools are not equipped with AED's. When my mom told me about Caleb, I felt so horrible that there was nothing at his school or inside of him to try to save his life. I hope our schools will consider putting AED's on campus. I want to do what it takes to see that every kid has a chance, just like I have been given.

http://law.onecle.com/california/civil/1714.21.html b) Any person who, in good faith and not for compensation, renders emergency care or treatment by the use of an AED at the scene of an emergency is not liable for any civil damages resulting from any acts or omissions in rendering the emergency care. Last modified: February 13, 2012

I found this on the internet, did it become law? www.hsaccc.org/legislation/aed_sb911.pdf If so I personally don't see the problem with having an AED in the schools as long as only trained people use it since from what I read if you are not trained you are not covered under the good samaritian act when using an AED.

So, are you sayng that Caleb's death was justfied because of his illness??? Please, he should have had the same chance of survival as a healthy child. The school was only equipped with a telephone, a telephone to call 911!! They said that Caleb was cleared for Physical Ed., but do they think SCA only happens when you are physically active? It can happen while you're standing in the lunch line,walking from one class to the other, it happens suddenly and without warning! So please parents, lets all work together and put AEDs in our schools. Lets not allow this to happen to another child or family. Heart Safe Campuses, thats what we need and we need them now. AEDs and CPR can save a life!! I would like to add,... that I spoke to some Centennial teachers(PE)last school season, and they welcomed AEDs in their school but because of the SCHOOL BOARD it has not been allowed!!!

I do agree wi both posts, but acording to new's he already had a heart contion, so don't know ifa defib would have helped. Prayers go out to his family

How many more children have to die in our schools before the school board agrees to allow the use of lifesaving equipment on campus? Automated external defibrillators (AEDs)are FDA approved, simple to use, and have been proven to save lives. AEDs won't shock anyone who isn't in sudden cardiac arrest, you can hurt someone with an AED, yet the Kern County School board will not approve a simple policy to allow them in the schools. Local Bakersfield parents have been trying to talk the school board into this for years. Isn't it time we step back, admit that having a Heart Safe Campus is a good thing, swallow some pride, and get AEDs and CPR training at our schools?

For 2 years I have been fighting to get CPR/AED programs into our high schools. So when I was told about Caleb's death, I cried. I know what this family is going through. The pain of losing a child is indescribable. My heart and prayers go out to Caleb's family. My daughter was only 14 years old when she died from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) due to an undetected heart condition known as Long QT Syndrome As many as 7,000 children lose their lives to SCA every year. It occurs suddenly and without warning, and is typically caused by an “electrical storm” in the heart, an abnormal heart rhythm. Sudden Cardiac Arrest kills more than 350,000 Americans each year. Currently, only 36 states have a law or curriculum standard encouraging such training in schools. Once in sudden cardiac arrest, the only treatment is a shock to the heart. Our choices are to wait for EMS, or take control with an AED. Liz Lazar, the Executive Director of The Via Foundation, and I have met and discussed our AED Program with the KHSD Board. We discussed how The Via Foundation will assist school districts and handle all elements of a comprehensive AED program, with no cost to the school. No response, No approval.Why? Liability. There is a misperception that having an AED places greater liability on the entity that installs the device. We, AED Advocates, are told by school or athletic administrators that they do not want to have AEDs because of the fear of increased liability. Good Samaritan laws exist in virtually all states. This means individuals cannot be held liable for harm of a victim by providing improper or inadequate care if the harm was not intentional. The “fear of liability” issue as an excuse for not having AEDs is not supported or justified. We must remove the fear and blinders preventing us from understanding the very real threat of SCA. This fight has been going on too long. It is now time that we all work together to eliminate preventable deaths from SCA.