By William P. O’Donnell, Norfolk County Register of Deeds
Every February, America marks American Heart Month, a tradition that began when President Lyndon B. Johnson first proclaimed it in 1964. It remains a call to action sixty years later: learn CPR, know where the nearest automated external defibrillator (AED) is, and be ready to step in. The stakes remain sobering. More than 350,000 people suffer out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrest in the United States each year, and roughly 90% do not survive. In many cases, the difference between life and death is simply whether help arrives in time and whether someone nearby has the tools and training to act.
Walk through the main doors of the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds and into the Recording Hall, and you’ll notice a glass cabinet on the wall with three familiar letters: AED. We weren’t required to install automated external defibrillators back in 2010, but we did, placing units on every floor, maintaining them, and training staff to use them because minutes matter when a life hangs in the balance.
Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death, striking without warning and often without time to wait for professional help. An AED is a portable medical device that can recognize life‑threatening arrhythmias and deliver a shock to restore a normal heartbeat. When CPR and defibrillation begin immediately, survival improves dramatically; when they do not, survival can fall by 7–10% with each passing minute.
As Chris Feeney of the American Heart Association testified to lawmakers in 2025, “Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death, but quick action can save lives. Sudden cardiac arrest victims need CPR and defibrillation within minutes as survival chances drop by seven to 10% each minute. Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, which are simple and portable, can restore the heart’s normal rhythm and are life‑saving tools.”
That’s the purpose behind An Act requiring automatic external defibrillators in Norfolk County public buildings, filed this session as Sen Bill 1473 and House Bill 2349, sponsored by Senator Michael F. Rush and Representative Marcus Vaughn, with Representative Richard G. Wells, Jr. as a co‑sponsor. The bill would require at least one AED in each county‑owned public building and ensure a trained employee or authorized volunteer is present during business hours. The legislation, filed January 16, 2025, was heard on May 13, reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government on June 18, and then advanced to Senate Rules and House Ways and Means for further review.
This initiative has deep roots. The Registry of Deeds, in partnership with State Representative and registered nurse Denise Garlick, filed this legislation every session from 2019 until her retirement in 2024. Since then, Senator Rush in the Senate and Representative Vaughn in the House have continued the effort. Their dedication in keeping attention on this public‑health issue has been invaluable, and as similar laws advance across the Commonwealth, we remain hopeful that this bill will make it to the Governor’s desk.
If you want a reminder of why preparedness matters, think back to January 2023, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during a game. Immediate CPR and an AED helped save his life, a nationally televised example of how decisive action can change an outcome. That moment prompted renewed emphasis on CPR and AED readiness not only in professional sports, but in communities, workplaces, and public buildings nationwide.
There are many responsibilities that come with being your Register of Deeds, including safeguarding 14 million land records that protect the ownership of your homes and businesses. But there is one responsibility I take especially to heart: doing what we can, with our partners in state government, to ensure lifesaving tools are close at hand and that someone nearby knows how to use them. American Heart Month may have begun as a presidential proclamation, but its strength comes from neighbors, colleagues, and citizens willing to act when seconds count.
So, if you are looking to make a difference this heart month, contact your local state legislators and let them know you support SB1473 and HB2349.
