State Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) delivers an AED to Suttons Bay High School, passing the AED to Zachariah Raphael, center. Joining are Damien Chippewa, center right, Chief Operations Officer Tim Smith, left, and Superintendent Casey Petz, on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Oct. 4, 2024 — State Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) presented a new automated external defibrillator (AED) to Suttons Bay High School today. Legislation signed into law this year requires schools to maintain AEDs and ensure they are accessible within one to three minutes during a cardiac emergency. In celebration of the new law, the NFL donated 50 AEDs for Michigan legislators to distribute to schools in their districts. Coffia issued the following statement after presenting the AED:
“As a former Traverse City Area Public School classroom employee and volunteer, the safety of our students is one of my top concerns. That’s why I’m proud to have voted for this important legislation that helps keep our students safe. We are ensuring every school has an AED on hand and that coaches are certified to use it — giving anyone that suffers a sudden cardiac arrest on school grounds the best chance at survival.”
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