Robbie's Law would require AEDs at all Nassau County fields and courts. Here's why it has become political.
Robbie Levine died what doctors call a preventable death at just 9 years old. Now, his mother is standing with Nassau County legislators as they push to pass "Robbie's Law" to make sure no other child suffers the same fate.
Robbie Levine's death
In 2005, Robbie Levine collapsed while playing Little League baseball in Merrick.
"It's unfathomable to think your 9-year-old is going to drop dead on the baseball field, where he lives and breathes baseball, but that's exactly what happened," mother Jill Levine said.
"He fell. There was no AED available. CPR didn't work. He never got a second chance to play on that field," Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow said.
What Robbie's Law would mean and the political implications of the proposal
Koslow is sponsoring legislation that would require automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, at all 200 fields and courts in Nassau County. Koslow, who is also running to replace County Executive Bruce Blakeman, said he estimates the price tag to be around $100,000.
"One hundreds thousand dollars is how much it costs every time Blakeman sends a fancy mailer telling us how safe we are in Nassau. I'm proposing we skip one of those mailers and provide this security and safety net for our community members," Koslow said.
Blakeman likened the legislation to a solution without a problem.
"Every county park and building has multiple AEDs," Blakeman said. "County policy says any field with players under 17 must supply an AED implementation plan as part of their application."
However, Koslow and Jill Levine say many fields and courts in Nassau are still lacking the life-saving devices. They're urging their colleagues to pass the bill and honor a little boy who never had the chance to grow up.
