Life saving devices in all VB schools

VIRGINIA BEACH,Va. (WAVY) - Virginia Beach , Hampton Roads' largest public school system, now has a portable and potentially life saving piece of equipment in every school. 

The device is called an AED, short for Automated External Difibrillator.

An AED is about the size of a laptop, it's lightweight, and like jumper cables for your car, it can kick start a heart after sudden cardiac arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrest claims one life every minute of every day.

The American Heart Association estimates portable AEDs could save many victims if the machines were in more public places, like airports, malls and schools.

"Virginia Beach public schools have 114 AEDs within the system right now," Virginia Beach Schools Occupational Safety and Loss Control Specialist, Steve LePock told WAVY.com.

AEDs are in every high school in Hampton Roads now, and in some middle and elementary schools.  You'll find most in the school's main hallway, or gym and there are portable AEDs at school sponsored athletic events.

So far, no one at a local school has had to use one, but LePock said,"if we do, and we have one save, it will all be worth it."

Newport News , Hampton  and Chesapeake public schools also have AED's in every one of their schools.

Virginia law does not require them, but some states do. Texas, for example mandated AEDs in 2007 after a sudden increase in the number of student athlete deaths.