Latest / OneLegUpAlex Media / OneLegUpAlex Adapts With Equal First Aid's Director Toni L'Abbate 9-6-25

Transcript

OneLegUpAlex Adapts With Equal First Aid's Director Toni L'Abbate 9-6-25 · OneLegUpAlex Media

0:02
Speaker 1: Here's your host, Alex Darren. All right, well you might
0:08
Speaker 1: have heard me mention equal First Aid in July actually
0:12
Speaker 1: during ADA week because they, like so many other great organizations,
0:17
Speaker 1: but they, particularly in the choking device sector, are trying
0:21
Speaker 1: to make schools ADA compliant through legislature. I mean, Tony Labadi,
0:27
Speaker 1: You've been there, You've been through this, You've been on
0:30
Speaker 1: in Trenton, in Albany advocating for these anti choking devices.
0:36
Speaker 1: And how are we doing the first week of school?
0:38
Speaker 1: I want to bring on to end the first week
0:40
Speaker 1: of school to get a recap from you.
0:42
Speaker 2: Okay, So as far as the schools goes, I know that,
0:47
Speaker 2: first of all, thank you again for having me on
0:48
Speaker 2: the show. Within the past four years, we were able
0:52
Speaker 2: to place legislation in thirteen states, but within four years,
0:57
Speaker 2: Texas is the only state that passed the bill that
1:01
Speaker 2: requires all schools, public and private, to be a DA
1:04
Speaker 2: compliant and have an airway clearance device on every premise.
1:09
Speaker 2: So the first week of school, I don't have the
1:11
Speaker 2: stats yet, but I do know that thousands of schools
1:14
Speaker 2: have reached out to Life BAC. Where back two years
1:18
Speaker 2: ago in Wisconsin when we went to a hearing. The
1:21
Speaker 2: first thing that the committee had asked was for a discount,
1:25
Speaker 2: and they were worried about budget and money. And the
1:28
Speaker 2: founder of life BAC had given every school in Wisconsin
1:32
Speaker 2: and then extended it to the United States. So every
1:34
Speaker 2: school in the US is eligible for an airway clearance device.
1:39
Speaker 3: So they need to reach out to schools.
1:41
Speaker 2: Atlifepac dot net and then from there they will get
1:44
Speaker 2: their free device.
1:45
Speaker 3: We do recommend them, you know, and I'm.
1:47
Speaker 1: So glad to mention this because i feel like there
1:48
Speaker 1: are schools that may not know this.
1:50
Speaker 3: Thanks you.
1:51
Speaker 2: So that's why we're talking about it, right, Yeah, So
1:53
Speaker 2: every school is eligible, and then of course we recommend
1:56
Speaker 2: that the nurses office, the gym teacher, the prince, everybody
2:00
Speaker 2: should have a unit. What I do want to make clear,
2:03
Speaker 2: which is this is one of the obstacles that we
2:06
Speaker 2: come across. Devices are not to be used as a
2:10
Speaker 2: first line of defense. This is when all protocol fails,
2:15
Speaker 2: or if protocol cannot be done due to a person's
2:18
Speaker 2: disability the size of their wheelchair, then they have this tool,
2:22
Speaker 2: so you know, again with equal first aid. As I've
2:26
Speaker 2: reached out to many organizations, the one that hit hardest
2:30
Speaker 2: was the American Heart Association, where they sent me an
2:33
Speaker 2: email stating that there are no recommendations to rescue an
2:38
Speaker 2: individual with a disability who's in a wheelchair. So that
2:41
Speaker 2: really fuels us. And we know that we have to
2:44
Speaker 2: get devices in the hands of the disabled communities into
2:48
Speaker 2: schools to make them a DA compliant. And again it's
2:52
Speaker 2: not you know, we hear all kinds of oppositions. It's first,
2:56
Speaker 2: if protocol is first, always, and then if it can't
3:00
Speaker 2: be done, let's have a rescue device on hand.
3:03
Speaker 1: All right, I'm very interested to hear about this because
3:06
Speaker 1: able bodied or disabled, wheelchair and not, we all face
3:09
Speaker 1: the risk of choking. But how can it be adapted
3:12
Speaker 1: so that people in wheelchairs and powerchairs can get that
3:16
Speaker 1: device maybe a little in a different way that will
3:19
Speaker 1: help them. Is there a certain mechanic that mechanics that
3:22
Speaker 1: need to be in place for those in powerchairs and wheelchairs.
3:27
Speaker 3: As far as the device goes.
3:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, as far because it seems like they are a
3:30
Speaker 1: distinction between the able body and disabled and in the wheelchair,
3:33
Speaker 1: So why why now? What is making it accessible to
3:37
Speaker 1: wheelchair folks? If you don't let me say it that
3:40
Speaker 1: that hasn't been there before.
3:42
Speaker 2: Yeah, So I mean devices are, like you said, for everyone,
3:46
Speaker 2: but it's especially if if protocol cannot be done on
3:49
Speaker 2: this individual, you know, if you can't lift the person
3:52
Speaker 2: out of the wheelchair. But devices are there, they're all
3:55
Speaker 2: the same. They have little bags that you can hang
3:58
Speaker 2: on the back of the wheelchair. If your child is
4:02
Speaker 2: denied having an airway clearance device and it's not in
4:06
Speaker 2: their their basic you know, sometimes they call it like
4:09
Speaker 2: an IEP or there's a different code for it, like
4:12
Speaker 2: a five oh one or something.
4:14
Speaker 3: That there's like a plan.
4:15
Speaker 2: If it's not in their plan and they the schools
4:18
Speaker 2: won't put it in their plan, you can file an
4:20
Speaker 2: Ada complaint.
4:22
Speaker 3: So you know, we come across that.
4:23
Speaker 2: But any anybody disabled abled can get their hands on
4:29
Speaker 2: a device. But we're just trying to have schools mandated
4:33
Speaker 2: because just knowing about it or them not having it,
4:37
Speaker 2: we feel that it is urgent that devices should be
4:42
Speaker 2: there to make sure that somebody with a disability also
4:45
Speaker 2: has equal access to being rescued.
4:48
Speaker 1: So I'm going to be wondering, all right, what kind
4:49
Speaker 1: of trainings needed for these devices and does this work
4:54
Speaker 1: go towards training teachers and personnel in these schools to
4:57
Speaker 1: make it to make them more aware of how to
4:59
Speaker 1: help out someone with disability.
5:01
Speaker 2: So if the school decides that they want to go
5:04
Speaker 2: with the company Lifeac, they would reach out to lifeac
5:07
Speaker 2: dot net. Also onlifac dot net there is about a
5:10
Speaker 2: four minute training video that you would be able to
5:15
Speaker 2: watch and learn from there. Also, I know for sure
5:19
Speaker 2: that if the school district needs hands on training, we
5:22
Speaker 2: could definitely arrange something like that, but we would train
5:27
Speaker 2: the nurses and the people in charge at the school.
5:32
Speaker 1: Well that that's very reassuring to hear that the training
5:37
Speaker 1: would be also provided, Tony. You know, I know I
5:40
Speaker 1: mentioned Trenton. Then we didn't get a chance to recap
5:42
Speaker 1: your venture to Trend with our mutual friend and someone
5:45
Speaker 1: I'm known forever, Eric Ryan. I mean, he got a
5:48
Speaker 1: whole group together to go down there. What was that like?
5:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, that was that was incredible. That's actually it's actually
5:54
Speaker 2: very moving when you're there in person. Unfortunately, we we
6:00
Speaker 2: we were at a hearing for the airway Clearance device bills,
6:03
Speaker 2: but the family before us was just very devastating because
6:09
Speaker 2: they were there also to get more aids on buses
6:12
Speaker 2: for the handicapped children. Because there wasn't an aid on
6:17
Speaker 2: this person's daughter's bus.
6:20
Speaker 3: Something happened.
6:21
Speaker 2: It wasn't a choking emergency, but the girl did have
6:24
Speaker 2: a medical emergency, and the bus only drove the child
6:28
Speaker 2: home and delivered the child unresponsive. So that, I mean,
6:33
Speaker 2: I still get goosebumps after that hearing because things have
6:37
Speaker 2: to change. We have to be able to all come
6:39
Speaker 2: together and see what we can do to make sure
6:43
Speaker 2: that everybody is treated equally and that everybody has really
6:47
Speaker 2: an eye on everybody else, because that to me is
6:49
Speaker 2: just mind blowing. So after that we went before the
6:53
Speaker 2: committee and Eric and David and you know, we all
6:57
Speaker 2: the Mavericks legacy, we all gave up our testimonies and
7:03
Speaker 2: right now it's New Jersey was the first bill that
7:07
Speaker 2: was introduced. And I'm gonna say it's going on five years,
7:09
Speaker 2: but it might only be four and a half. Four
7:12
Speaker 2: and a half years of just sitting there. After that hearing,
7:15
Speaker 2: the bill did move. And what they're trying to do
7:18
Speaker 2: now for New Jersey is just to make sure that
7:21
Speaker 2: if a bill is to mandate airway clearance devices in schools,
7:26
Speaker 2: how we how can we regulate that the schools are
7:30
Speaker 2: not getting counterfeit devices, you know, so there's got it.
7:34
Speaker 3: So they're working on.
7:35
Speaker 2: Some type of regulation or hopefully some third party that
7:39
Speaker 2: I think it's plain and simple if they just deal
7:42
Speaker 2: with the company themselves and not you know, just from
7:47
Speaker 2: a Walmart or a different store selling these counterfeits.
7:50
Speaker 3: Then I think that's how they can regulate it.
7:52
Speaker 2: But it did move a little bit in four and
7:54
Speaker 2: a half years. We're still waiting though. The committee still didn't.
7:58
Speaker 2: You know, it has to be reinterest in.
8:00
Speaker 1: You mentioned the counterfeits. I hear when I work on
8:02
Speaker 1: the Joe Biscum busher all the time. There's a lot
8:04
Speaker 1: of counterfeits out there, So how do how do we elimit?
8:08
Speaker 1: You know, track that even harder and just make sure
8:11
Speaker 1: there are no counterfeits out there? Well?
8:13
Speaker 2: Right, So that's that's Life Act where their counterfeit department
8:17
Speaker 2: will be tracking everything and reporting what they have to report.
8:21
Speaker 3: And you know, as we come across counterfeits.
8:23
Speaker 2: Also, I've had people come to me too and with
8:27
Speaker 2: a blue device and I'm like, oh no, no, that's
8:29
Speaker 2: not going to work, and we replaced them free of charge.
8:32
Speaker 2: But there is you know, there is at Life that
8:36
Speaker 2: a whole team of counterfeit depart, you know, a whole
8:39
Speaker 2: team working on the counterfeits.
8:41
Speaker 1: All right, Tony, I gotta ask you this because then
8:43
Speaker 1: you know you have the gal. I believe this is
8:45
Speaker 1: your fourth you know, annual and whatnot. You've even done
8:48
Speaker 1: a gala. But how did you come to start Life
8:51
Speaker 1: Equal First, A tell us how you developed all this
8:54
Speaker 1: and really took charge and made this organization happen.
8:58
Speaker 2: So for many years, you know, I was a stay
9:02
Speaker 2: at home mom and I took care of I was
9:04
Speaker 2: a caregiver for the elderly and also for young adults
9:08
Speaker 2: that were in wheelchairs. And one of my special little
9:13
Speaker 2: patients was a young lady who we had to you know,
9:18
Speaker 2: really mince up her food and give her thickener and
9:21
Speaker 2: her water because of her swallowing. And from there, you know,
9:26
Speaker 2: I also had known about Life Act, but at the
9:29
Speaker 2: time Wifeac only had twenty five lives that were saved.
9:32
Speaker 3: And once I started.
9:34
Speaker 2: To speak with Arthur Lee and their team and learn
9:38
Speaker 2: more about the risks of choking amongst the disabled and
9:41
Speaker 2: the elderly, because the elderly, of course were cutting their
9:44
Speaker 2: pills also you know, pureting their food. And also in
9:49
Speaker 2: that field, we we weren't allowed to ask the aids
9:54
Speaker 2: to even pure the food. The families have to come
9:56
Speaker 2: in and do the pureting and give the medication.
9:58
Speaker 3: So this whole, this whole world win.
10:02
Speaker 2: Of like caring for the elderly and then the young adults.
10:05
Speaker 2: It was just something that I was very passionate about
10:08
Speaker 2: for many, many years. I'm going to tell you more
10:10
Speaker 2: than twenty five years. I don't want to give away
10:11
Speaker 2: my age, but for many years, and I met Arthur Lee,
10:17
Speaker 2: and once once I was contacted honestly by Phyllis who's
10:23
Speaker 2: in New Jersey.
10:24
Speaker 3: She was the mom that put the first bill in.
10:26
Speaker 2: Once I was contacted by her that there was a
10:28
Speaker 2: ready legislation in, I decided that, hey, why not do
10:32
Speaker 2: it in New York? Why not do it in Connecticut?
10:35
Speaker 2: So at that point, I know you're.
10:37
Speaker 1: Saying, why not doing it in all fifty states?
10:39
Speaker 2: Right?
10:39
Speaker 1: Yeah?
10:39
Speaker 2: Well yeah, so that in the beginning though, I was
10:42
Speaker 2: just like, well why not here?
10:43
Speaker 3: Why not there?
10:44
Speaker 2: And that's my goal is all fifty states. So that's
10:47
Speaker 2: how that's how I've grown over the past four years.
10:51
Speaker 2: So again it expands and it's very very exciting, but
10:55
Speaker 2: It's not easy because, like I mentioned to you earlier,
10:58
Speaker 2: there was thirteen states that we were able to get
11:00
Speaker 2: legislation in and about I guess like maybe two of
11:03
Speaker 2: them dropped off, but most states will be reintroduced. But
11:07
Speaker 2: one state we were able to pass a law, and
11:10
Speaker 2: that's the Western Mandrel Act, which is named after a
11:13
Speaker 2: young boy who tragically passed from choking in Texas. That
11:17
Speaker 2: bill we got done within seven months, and that is now,
11:20
Speaker 2: like I said earlier, a requirement in every single school,
11:23
Speaker 2: public and private in Texas. So that's how Equal First Aid.
11:28
Speaker 2: We decided then to go state to state. But as
11:31
Speaker 2: you know, like in New Jersey, no matter how we fight,
11:34
Speaker 2: no matter how many hearings we go to, there's opposition,
11:38
Speaker 2: there's you know, it's politics.
11:41
Speaker 3: I mean, unfortunately, I've been.
11:43
Speaker 2: Told point blank, right to my face that well it's
11:47
Speaker 2: a blue state, it's not going to happen, or well
11:49
Speaker 2: we're not going to do what Texas has done because
11:52
Speaker 2: we don't want to follow Texas. So it is a game,
11:55
Speaker 2: and that's the only way I can describe it. You
11:57
Speaker 2: just have to play the game. And that's unfortunate because
12:00
Speaker 2: lives are at stake.
12:02
Speaker 1: Tony Lebani. I gotta ask you this. Have you had
12:06
Speaker 1: parents come up to you and say thank you for
12:08
Speaker 1: putting these in my kids' school? Like? Do parents start
12:11
Speaker 1: to feel safer when these anti choking devices are in there? Oh?
12:15
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean obviously parents are always very grateful.
12:20
Speaker 3: Schools.
12:21
Speaker 2: There are thousands of schools that are now equipped with
12:25
Speaker 2: airway clearance devices. We have a bigger picture to get done,
12:31
Speaker 2: and that's an oral working on now. But of course
12:34
Speaker 2: it gives a parent a sense of relief, and especially
12:36
Speaker 2: if their child has a disability. And there's last year,
12:41
Speaker 2: I started reaching out to anybody that again wants to
12:46
Speaker 2: file an ADA complaint. If you feel that your school
12:49
Speaker 2: is not compliant with the ADA and will not put
12:51
Speaker 2: an airway clearance device, please give us a call file
12:55
Speaker 2: an ADA complaint. You will get an airway clearance device
12:59
Speaker 2: for free just for helping us out and we want
13:03
Speaker 2: you to be protected. So you know, again, it gives
13:06
Speaker 2: everybody peace of mind, and that's what we want, zero
13:08
Speaker 2: choking debts. Right now, there's five thousand people each year
13:11
Speaker 2: that die from choking. We want to see zero. We
13:14
Speaker 2: don't want it, you know, And sadly to say, I'll
13:18
Speaker 2: give you an example Maryland. Maryland is the next state
13:22
Speaker 2: hopefully in January that will meet all.
13:24
Speaker 3: Of us and put you know, together a nice hearing.
13:29
Speaker 2: Maryland came across because after a few years after this
13:34
Speaker 2: young man choked, then it came out on social media
13:37
Speaker 2: and it came out on all Google alerts that hey,
13:40
Speaker 2: this is what happened in young men Bowen had passed away.
13:44
Speaker 2: That was years ago, so nobody ever heard of it.
13:48
Speaker 2: We don't hear of the choking tragedies because they're hush hush,
13:52
Speaker 2: there's lawsuits. The schools hide them, so you know, everybody thinks, oh,
13:56
Speaker 2: I went to school and I never had a choking
13:58
Speaker 2: incident there. But four years later, after the Shong man
14:02
Speaker 2: passed and it's out, the reporters reached out to me. Actually,
14:07
Speaker 2: that's the first state that I had a representative reach
14:09
Speaker 2: out to. Equal first date to say, I cried when
14:12
Speaker 2: I heard that. Let's get this going. So Marilyn is
14:16
Speaker 2: going to be right there next. I'm hoping New York.
14:19
Speaker 2: But again, we have oppositions, so we need listeners to
14:23
Speaker 2: really just simply just contact me. I can put my
14:26
Speaker 2: number out there twenty four to seven. Any questions if
14:29
Speaker 2: anybody wants to help move legislation and help us out
14:34
Speaker 2: and just support our mission and these legislations, it would
14:38
Speaker 2: be greatly appreciated.
14:39
Speaker 1: Well, I want a person thank you for having Gaby
14:41
Speaker 1: and I on your team now, graphics and video. This
14:44
Speaker 1: is awesome. I love that we're all coming together here, right.
14:48
Speaker 2: I love that we're all coming together, and I hope
14:51
Speaker 2: you're going to join me on the seventeenth.
14:54
Speaker 1: Yes, we got to make that a priority to come
14:56
Speaker 1: out and be with you guys for EFA. All right.
15:00
Speaker 1: You know, we talk about legislation, and I find this
15:02
Speaker 1: is the case with insurance too, right, there's just so
15:05
Speaker 1: many loopholes and all that. So how do you convince
15:09
Speaker 1: these legislators, hey, screw the loopholes, just get it in
15:12
Speaker 1: the schools, Like I feel like they all go through
15:14
Speaker 1: these legal things to make it not happen.
15:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that, you know from my experience, and
15:21
Speaker 2: believe me when I first began four years ago.
15:24
Speaker 3: I'm not big into politics.
15:25
Speaker 2: I don't want to be known as as red or blue.
15:30
Speaker 2: It's I just want to help save life. So I
15:32
Speaker 2: don't care how we get there. I'm not going to
15:34
Speaker 2: pick and choose what side I'm on, but I just
15:39
Speaker 2: feel like you need a true champion, a true representative
15:44
Speaker 2: that's just got fire under them, that really believes it,
15:49
Speaker 2: you know. Also the New York City, the New York
15:53
Speaker 2: City Council, we had a hearing, I don't know if
15:55
Speaker 2: it was may or June. Life Act was invited also,
15:59
Speaker 2: and that representative's grandfather died in a choking tragedy in
16:04
Speaker 2: a restaurant. She was a firecracker, And we went to
16:09
Speaker 2: a hearing, and again we have opposition. We had hours
16:13
Speaker 2: and hours and hours of opposition because the first thing
16:16
Speaker 2: that people are going to say is, well, there's the
16:19
Speaker 2: Heimlich maneuver or there's protocol.
16:20
Speaker 3: And again that's why I started the show off.
16:23
Speaker 2: We want everyone to be able to do protocol first,
16:27
Speaker 2: but we're just saying, please, if it fails or it
16:30
Speaker 2: cannot be done, let's have a backup option. So in
16:34
Speaker 2: New York City, we're waiting for a hearing again to
16:38
Speaker 2: have every school in New York City equipped, and from
16:42
Speaker 2: there we're going to go to all restaurants in New
16:44
Speaker 2: York City. So it's not just schools, it's not for
16:47
Speaker 2: just the disability communities. This is on behalf of equal
16:50
Speaker 2: first eight. I would love for every everybody that's in
16:54
Speaker 2: spina bifida and the down syndrome communities because I know
16:58
Speaker 2: of families that have been saved, and I also work
17:02
Speaker 2: with the families that have lost their child due to choking,
17:05
Speaker 2: and together we all come together.
17:08
Speaker 4: So I just feel like we need a champion and
17:12
Speaker 4: a true believer, and you seem to find the right
17:18
Speaker 4: people to come alongside, like Eric and Arthur Lee.
17:21
Speaker 1: I mean, those two are champions in and of their
17:23
Speaker 1: own right. I'm glad that those connections have happened, for sure.
17:27
Speaker 3: You know what I love about that? Though?
17:28
Speaker 2: Eric, I didn't know of Eric and his company, but
17:32
Speaker 2: when I saw them on the back of the Able magazine,
17:35
Speaker 2: that's how I met him. I was so touched and
17:39
Speaker 2: so inspired by what's happening right here in our hometown,
17:42
Speaker 2: Long Island, that I reached out. And the best part
17:46
Speaker 2: of that was I didn't get a voice recording. I
17:48
Speaker 2: didn't get Hey, he'll call you back. I got Eric
17:51
Speaker 2: on the phone and I was blown away. I was like,
17:53
Speaker 2: oh my gosh, you're answering your own phone, of your
17:55
Speaker 2: own company.
17:57
Speaker 3: And right there we met, We became friends.
18:00
Speaker 2: We try to help each other, you know, and again
18:04
Speaker 2: and meeting you through him and through life BacT. You know,
18:08
Speaker 2: our army just has to get.
18:10
Speaker 1: Some of the answer. I mean, if I was on
18:12
Speaker 1: that remote that day, who knows, we wouldn't have made
18:14
Speaker 1: it that morning. But here we are. Yeah, that's really special.
18:17
Speaker 1: The jokes on his team and now we're connected.
18:21
Speaker 2: I mean, and I loved meeting you, but knowing who
18:24
Speaker 2: you were before meeting you, and that's why I was like,
18:26
Speaker 2: hey are you Alex? You know, so I think that
18:30
Speaker 2: all of us working together and you having me on
18:33
Speaker 2: your show to really you know, talk about equal first
18:36
Speaker 2: date and how people can help and and our mission
18:39
Speaker 2: is just you know, I can't be any more thankful.
18:43
Speaker 3: I really truly appreciate it.
18:45
Speaker 1: Now, any folks that have you know, in that legal
18:48
Speaker 1: realm that have come alongside, I mean, anybody want to
18:50
Speaker 1: shout out that are trying to be that champion you know,
18:53
Speaker 1: through law for you guys.
18:56
Speaker 2: So I mean I can really I think that you know,
19:01
Speaker 2: are in Maryland, if there's anybody in Maryland representative metscar
19:06
Speaker 2: He's just truly amazing.
19:08
Speaker 3: You know, New York. I don't know what to say
19:11
Speaker 3: about New York.
19:12
Speaker 2: I mean, I'm actually a little bit disappointed because we're
19:15
Speaker 2: going on four years in New York. In June of
19:17
Speaker 2: twenty twenty two, we passed the Senate with flying colors,
19:21
Speaker 2: but the Assembly didn't move. And what happens here here
19:24
Speaker 2: is if there is opposition, if there is somebody that says, hey,
19:28
Speaker 2: devices are not FDA approved.
19:30
Speaker 3: You know they're not.
19:32
Speaker 2: All devices are registered with the FDA. So there's lots
19:36
Speaker 2: of things in schools that will help us. God forbid
19:40
Speaker 2: there's a shooting incident or somebody gets hurt that are
19:42
Speaker 2: not FDA approved, so.
19:45
Speaker 3: That, you know, we have to come across the you know,
19:49
Speaker 3: there's obstacles.
19:49
Speaker 2: We have to climb them and we have to get
19:51
Speaker 2: over them. But we had we have Kentucky. She was
19:55
Speaker 2: a great representative out there, Masarini locally, honestly, we have
20:01
Speaker 2: to push.
20:02
Speaker 3: Through in January. We have to start fresh.
20:05
Speaker 1: Well, we'll be there with you to help you do that. Now,
20:08
Speaker 1: I want to know the work you're doing in schools.
20:09
Speaker 1: Could that be a gateway to you know, it is
20:13
Speaker 1: interesting when I hear stories that someone at a restaurant
20:15
Speaker 1: had a life back because the restaurants themselves and had
20:18
Speaker 1: the life back there. Are is this going to go
20:20
Speaker 1: into other realms where we can put these devices in?
20:24
Speaker 2: Yeah, so of course you know we have life fact
20:26
Speaker 2: that's working. You know, their sales team is just incredible
20:30
Speaker 2: where they're putting them, you know, in nursing homes and
20:35
Speaker 2: all facilities, restaurants. They have a whole bunch of distributors
20:40
Speaker 2: out there that are working with them. They have CPR trainers.
20:44
Speaker 2: So we're trying to get every every corner that in
20:48
Speaker 2: the hands of everybody when they needed And honestly, we've
20:51
Speaker 2: tried to talk with the FAA because there was a
20:55
Speaker 2: young girl that was saved on an airplane, so every
20:58
Speaker 2: airplane should be equipped was a device also because when
21:02
Speaker 2: you're flying, you know, eight hours or six hours over
21:04
Speaker 2: the ocean and something's happening, just have a backup option. So,
21:09
Speaker 2: you know, we're hoping to get them everywhere.
21:12
Speaker 1: I feel like you put your stake in the ground
21:14
Speaker 1: with this because you saw no one else was doing it.
21:16
Speaker 1: And that's because of your years of experience. But as
21:20
Speaker 1: you've grown and you've seen the support, does that support
21:25
Speaker 1: sort of feel like an oh wow, they're coming alongside me.
21:27
Speaker 1: Does that ever get older? Or is it like a
21:30
Speaker 1: new surprise when someone else comes alongside me.
21:32
Speaker 2: Support is not just great surprise, it's such a great
21:34
Speaker 2: surprise because we you know, again four years ago, it
21:38
Speaker 2: was the outreach, it was the organizations and again I
21:41
Speaker 2: mentioned Spider Biffita and the Down Syndrome Association, and you know,
21:45
Speaker 2: they're they're all over the country that do support equal
21:48
Speaker 2: first date.
21:50
Speaker 3: But sometimes support is just not enough.
21:52
Speaker 2: We have to It's one thing to write it down
21:55
Speaker 2: that we support you, and then it's the other to
21:58
Speaker 2: get on board to all their senators to come to
22:02
Speaker 2: the hearings. So I do appreciate every phone call that's made,
22:07
Speaker 2: any email that is written in support of a piece
22:11
Speaker 2: of legislation, or just asking representative, would you be willing
22:16
Speaker 2: to really do what Texas has done? Would you be
22:19
Speaker 2: willing to put a bill in that would allow devices
22:22
Speaker 2: in schools? And really that's all it is. And once
22:25
Speaker 2: we get another you know, another state, we follow up
22:29
Speaker 2: with that. And so yes, it's always a surprise, it's
22:33
Speaker 2: always welcomed.
22:34
Speaker 3: I'm thankful for everybody that can help.
22:39
Speaker 1: Well Tony. I know it's only a week one, but
22:41
Speaker 1: come back sort of give us a a you know,
22:44
Speaker 1: near the things giving break, if any other news has
22:46
Speaker 1: come around for the schools this part of the fall,
22:49
Speaker 1: I always find this is the busiest time of year.
22:51
Speaker 1: Kids are going back to school and everybody's back up
22:55
Speaker 1: and hustling. I get to the city now at seven
22:56
Speaker 1: in the morning and I see the city's back pre
22:59
Speaker 1: pandemic levels. I even notice that too, but we're all
23:01
Speaker 1: I can add them this September, and I want to
23:04
Speaker 1: follow with you by by November or if any other
23:06
Speaker 1: news breaks along the way here.
23:08
Speaker 3: I would love that.
23:09
Speaker 2: So also I want to just mention to your listeners
23:12
Speaker 2: that I want to throw out there my email address,
23:15
Speaker 2: because yes, please do quick email, so it's t L
23:20
Speaker 2: A bb A t E at equal Firstaid dot com.
23:26
Speaker 2: I also will throw out the phone numbers so that
23:28
Speaker 2: you can just text me if that's easier, because sometimes
23:31
Speaker 2: texting is just a little quicker. It's six three one
23:35
Speaker 2: eight seven three zero nine zero seven.
23:38
Speaker 3: You can reach me.
23:39
Speaker 2: Just throw your name in there. I will respond personally
23:41
Speaker 2: to you. And also, if anybody does want to order
23:45
Speaker 2: a device, if you use code e F A ten,
23:50
Speaker 2: you will get ten dollars off your purchase and shipping
23:53
Speaker 2: is free, so that's kind of that's kind of huge
23:56
Speaker 2: with the free shipping because sometimes that can you know,
23:58
Speaker 2: that could cost a lot.
24:01
Speaker 1: Well, that is uh, that's important and I'm glad you've
24:05
Speaker 1: put out your contact.
24:05
Speaker 3: Now.
24:06
Speaker 1: One last thing as we're talking here, I would love
24:09
Speaker 1: to get one of those that's signed on to the
24:11
Speaker 1: bill in Texas to maybe say hey, if Texas can
24:13
Speaker 1: do it, here's why they did it, and have that
24:16
Speaker 1: representative inspire other Saints. We maybe we can arrange that
24:19
Speaker 1: to join us.
24:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, that would be that would be great. I'm happy
24:23
Speaker 2: to you know, to work with you on this and
24:26
Speaker 2: just to get their attention. And like I said, New York,
24:29
Speaker 2: right now, we're just we're just at a stall. Everything
24:32
Speaker 2: has to be reintroduced.
24:33
Speaker 3: And if any of your listeners look on S.
24:37
Speaker 2: One two six', nine that bill is just now going
24:40
Speaker 2: to have to be. Reintroduced but we don't have an
24:42
Speaker 2: assembly side, yet so we're going to need an assemblyman
24:45
Speaker 2: to pick up on this bill. Again it passed in
24:49
Speaker 2: twenty twenty, two we're going into twenty twenty six and.
24:53
Speaker 3: We got, nowhere so we need to really use our.
24:56
Speaker 1: Voices, Well i've had a couple of sembling people. On
24:59
Speaker 1: maybe well we'll reach out to them and see if
25:00
Speaker 1: they can join them in this. Fight that would be.
25:03
Speaker 1: Amazing but for, now totally little. Body this was great,
25:06
Speaker 1: introductory you, know, conversation AND i want to elaborate more
25:10
Speaker 1: as time goes, on because again it's only the first
25:13
Speaker 1: week at, school And i'm glad you're in. There you're
25:15
Speaker 1: fighting already to make these schools. Safer and you know
25:18
Speaker 1: you mentioned The heimlich maneuver and all That i've. Say
25:22
Speaker 1: WHEN i was up TO SCARTI i noticed one of
25:24
Speaker 1: the techniques was sort of pressing on the chest because
25:27
Speaker 1: they couldn't get them out of the. Chair right, now
25:30
Speaker 1: this could evolve that process to even better results than
25:33
Speaker 1: pressing on the chest and trying to clear the airways
25:35
Speaker 1: like they had seen them do time and time again
25:38
Speaker 1: times up To scarty right.
25:40
Speaker 2: Or before you, know they, say you, know obviously we
25:44
Speaker 2: don't want the person to lose too you, know too
25:47
Speaker 2: much air and to have any kind of brain.
25:50
Speaker 3: Damage so this is just one or two.
25:51
Speaker 2: Pumps first of, all The Life, act if anybody looks it,
25:56
Speaker 2: up it has a one wave, thalve so it looks
25:58
Speaker 2: like a handheld. Plunger it will not push the object further.
26:02
Speaker 2: Down it's not the plunger that we're used. To there's
26:04
Speaker 2: a one way valve so the air does escape out
26:07
Speaker 2: of the little vents of the sides once you push,
26:10
Speaker 2: down so you will not lodge it. Further one or
26:14
Speaker 2: two pumps up and it will clear the. Airway so
26:18
Speaker 2: it's just a backup. Tool i'd love to see them
26:20
Speaker 2: on the back of every wheelchair and in.
26:23
Speaker 3: Schools that's that's my.
26:24
Speaker 2: Goal so Once january comes, around we're heading For states, two,
26:29
Speaker 2: three and, four.
26:31
Speaker 1: All, right and we'll be there with you. Here One
26:33
Speaker 1: Leg Up alex adapting today With Tony labodi Of Equal First.
26:38
Speaker 1: Aid give the website one more.
26:39
Speaker 2: Time the website is equal firstaid dot org and my
26:45
Speaker 2: email is t L. A Bbat e at Equal firstaid dot.
26:51
Speaker 2: COM i welcome anybody's, conversation any. Questions i'm here to.
26:56
Speaker 3: Help all.
26:57
Speaker 1: Right that was, Great, Tony and by the, way we
27:00
Speaker 1: will be with you at your next you, know rally
27:03
Speaker 1: in one of these. Capitals i'd love to be there
27:05
Speaker 1: with you as you do.
27:06
Speaker 3: Those thank you so.
27:07
Speaker 1: Much all, right that's totally the body On One Leg
27:10
Speaker 1: Up alex network. Today thanks, Again thank.
27:14
Speaker 3: You alex have a great. Day