Absolutely!!!

Yes, they should be required at every public gathering within 1 minute reach.

Three years ago my 17 year old seemingly healthy daughter collapsed on the soccer field. She had a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and died instantly. There was no AED available, that would have been her only chance.

Each year thousands of youth, both athletes and non-athletes, suffer sudden cardiac arrests. For many, death is the first symptom.

AEDs should be available everywhere youth congregate, including sporting events, recreation centers, tournaments, dances and more. We insist our kids wear helmets, and pads, yet we let them participate in activities without an AED around.

Learn more at www.parentheartwatch.org.

As an EMT who works numerous student sports events, I think it is very important to follow through with th is issue. AED's are so user friendly and really can make the difference between life and death. Too many kids have gone down with undiagnosed cardiac issues and might have been saved or had a better chance of survival if an AED had been available. I DO have an AED with me on the field at all times. You can never predict an arrest, but you sure can be prepared to respond when it happens!!! I have a hard time digesting the budget being more important than a child/students life!

YES! too many athletes dropping on fields and courts....also...the population is grossly overweight and highly stressed....lets be ready!

Howard Co. Police Cruisers Get New, Life-Saving Equipment (AEDs)
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/11/27/hoco-police-cruisers-get-new-equipment/?src=fb

If these kids are that out of shape, they should not be playing sports. Have their parents pay for a phyiscal prior to the students sports participation.

Ohai,
Here is a website so you can educate yourself on SCA. http://www.parentheartwatch.org/IntheNews.aspx SCA is more frequent then is reported, check out a few of the articles from this website. I think you will be surprised. Also AEDS (these lifesaving devices) are not expensive. the price ranges from 1,000 -2,000 depending on how advanced the person that will be using is needed. If hundreds of thousands of dollars are used to build turf fields through out MD at HS, then 1,000$ is nothing. AEDS are everywhere now. Walk through your Mall, airport, on airplanes, neighborhood school, church, and government buildings, AEDS are hanging on the wall. All HS athletes are required to have an annual physical before they can play sports and most HS athletes are not over weight and are in good physical shape or they wouldn't make their HS team. Also, its a state law that all schools have AEDS and that they are accessible to the HS playing fields.

Here is a recent SCA local event that took place at CHS about 9 weeks ago on Sept. 27th. I encourage to read this article: http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/sports/ph-ca-field-hockey-miracle-1005pp-20111017,0,1051389.story
So, do you want to tell this family that and AED was to expensive to save their child???

here is the complete article from Sept. 27th at Catonsville High School:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/neighborhoods/catonsville/ph-ca-medical-response-1005-20111001,0,4669015.story

We also covered that issue here at Patch extensively, which was the reason for this poll. Here are the article: http://catonsville.patch.com/articles/aeds-on-athletic-fields-not-always-practical-coaches-say and then here: http://catonsville.patch.com/articles/high-praise-for-catonsville-high-bystander-response-in-girls-emergency

I was at the CHS field when this child collapsed and CPR was done for 10 plus minutes and when the AED was placed on the child, she was in a shock-able rhythm and she was shocked and the AED ultimately saved her life. Just doing CPR alone would have not saved her life...get your facts straight and read the entire article. Obviously, you have no medical training and do not understand that for every minute someone is in a life threatening rhythm your chances of survival go done by 10%. So, if 6 minutes go by in a life threatening rhythm, chances of survival are 40%. Maybe you like those chances for your children, but not me. I think if you had witnessed this SCA event, you would have a greater appreciation for AEDS & CPR training and how important they are. Part of the controversy was the ambulance took over 10+ minutes to arrive to the field.

Also, I would rather have my tax $ pay for life saving devices then an new turf field that cost tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Also, MD state law (2006) requires schools to have AEDS, so to bad... your tax money has already been spent on these unnecessary lifesaving devices according to you. I guess we should NOT have fire alarms or fire extinguishers in the schools as well because school fires are a RARE occurrence. Maybe us parents should have school fund raisers to purchase fire extinguishers in accordance to your ridiculous thinking.
I understand your point, but your missing the bigger picture. It doesn't have to be an athlete on the field, it could be anyone in attendance at the game, fans, aunts, uncles, elderly grandparents, parents, referees, and coaches.

Your argument that SCA is a rare occurrence is a poor argument. According to the AHA (American Heart Association), About every 34 seconds, someone in the United States has a myocardial infarction (heart attack) which could lead to cardiac arrest.

The MD law also says that AEDS must be accessible from HS athletic fields and athletic events. So, your point is meaningless. The reason for having an AED at the field is obvious. The reason the whole article was written was because the AED was not accessible to the field at CHS. I don't have stats for MI's at football games, but every 34 seconds seems frequent enough for me.
Also, the reason Mall AEDS have alarms is not for preventing people from stealing them, its to alert Mall security that an emergency is occurring, so EMS can be alerted. The AEDS are not locked up...
You think that having fire alarms installed at schools are cheap, I'm not sure what the cost, but I'm sure is not pennies.

First of all, who do you think attends these games... parents and elderly grandparents. You don't have a clue about heart disease and the population.. its clear with your ignorant answers.
Anyone can buy an AED for home use from the internet and I heard you can purchase one from Costco. In fact a coworker of mine has one in her car because her kids play sports. Also, anyone with any type of brain can use an AED ( they are idiot proof). They have done a study where 6th graders who knows nothing about them were able to use them effectively, but that excludes you of course because you would sit by an not use one because they are to expensive.
If someone wanted to steal an AED from the Mall, they could do it easily even with alarm. They could walk right out the door with the AED in hand and nobody would stop them.

What it boils down to is you think the life of a child or anybody else is not worth a 1,000$ investment. How sad for you, from your responses I guessing you don't have children.

Thank goodness your a former EMT... I have 20 years plus cardiac medical experience. I have taken care of people with LVADS, done CPR, and used defibrillators. No, i don't have an home AED, but I'm thinking about buying one because I can afford one.

Why don't you answer the ? the life of a child or save 1,000$. Obviously, you don't have children and seriously doubt your a former EMT.

You doubt I'm a former EMT? You're an idiot. The Life of a person is worth more than $1,000. But that has nothing to do with AEDs. How many of the AEds at schools have ever been used? Get a clue.

I guess you didn't visit the parent heart watch website, there are many stories of school AEDS being used. So, if a child life is worth a 1,000$.. then why are you so opposed to AEDS. I'm sorry that you have a relative that has an LVAD.

I didn't realize men or women of science were so wooed by internet anecdotes. What % of the AEDs have been used at schools? Less than 1%? And how much was spent on them?