A new law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday requires youth athletic coaches to learn how to render life-saving aid — including CPR.
State Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, sponsored the measure. He says as a parent, he wants every coach to know the basics.
"In our state, sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death for student-athletes, " he said during a recent state Senate committee hearing. "It impacts as many as 23,000 young people annually.
The measure applies to Florida’s public K-12 schools. Coaches must undergo CPR training every two years.
“This bill takes a remarkable step forward and make sure that when we’re not there with our kids, we can rest assure that the training does happen," said Sen. Collins. "The tools are there to provide them that opportunity to have a successful outcome, when something does go wrong.”
The law also requires an AED, or automated external defibrillator, to be present at all sporting events, including practices and workouts.
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