ATLANTA (February 9, 2016) | Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R – Rome) urged residents across Georgia Tuesday to make sure they and their families are protected against severe allergic reactions, and to be aware that emergency treatment for anaphylaxis is now more widely available in public places. 

“Those living with food and other allergies are typically prepared with epinephrine auto-injectors, but these new laws give those people additional protection, while also offering a safeguard for those who may suffer an unknown or first-time allergic reaction,” said Sen. Hufstetler. “Just like having a first aid kit or an emergency plan, families should know that emergency epinephrine is now available in both schools and other public places like restaurants and recreational parks.” 

In May 2015, Gov. Nathan Deal signed Senate Bill 126 into law, which allows emergency doses of epinephrine to be available for use in the case of a severe allergic reaction in public places like theme parks and sports arenas. Similar legislation has been passed in 18 other states and is pending in several more. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Hufstetler, also requires businesses who obtain epinephrine auto-injectors to have staff properly trained in the administration of epinephrine and provides “good Samaritan” liability protection for those who may administer the medication. 

This legislation is a follow-up to a bill also sponsored by Sen. Hufstetler and signed into law in 2013, which allows schools to stock non-patient specific epinephrine on campus. To date, more than 1,200 schools across Georgia have participated in programs offered by medication manufacturers that provide epinephrine auto-injectors to school districts at little or no cost. 
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Sen. Hufstetler’s office worked with the Georgia Department of Public Health to launch an online toolkit to help organizations learn how to obtain and store epinephrine as well as resources on proper training of employees on how and when to administer epinephrine. More information can be obtained on the Department of Public Health’s website: https://dph.georgia.gov/emergency-epinephrine. 

Atlanta, GA – May 22, 2013 – Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc.(FAKA) recently joined Governor Nathan Deal as he signed a proclamation announcing May 12 – 18, 2013 as Food Allergy Awareness Week in the state of Georgia.

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta and members of the community joined Governor Deal during the FA Kids 2013 event. 

In attendance were:

Governor Nathan Deal
Karen Harris, President, Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc.
Connie Trent, Health Services Facilitator (Nurses), Forsyth County Schools, GA
Susan Acker, Director, Student Support Services, Forsyth County Schools, GA
Benjamin Karp, President, Georgia CPR

“Our goal with Food Allergy Awareness Week in Georgia is to encourage all Georgians to recognize the value and importance of food allergy management & anaphylaxis prevention and awareness.” stated Karen Harris, President of Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta. “Schools are an important partner to us. In Forsyth County, stock epinephrine has already been used to treat students who have shown symptoms of anaphylactic shock. We urge all Georgia school districts to provide training to educators and implement stock epinephrine in all of their schools.”

Forsyth & Fannin County Schools are the only counties in Georgia to date that has implemented stock epinephrine in all of the schools. Forsyth County Schools also trains educators to comprehend basic food allergy facts, avoid food allergens, recognize a reaction, and enact emergency protocol.

Georgia CPR partnered with Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta to expand education and outreach efforts to help support Georgia schools with emergency procedures in treating anaphylaxis and in helping with the management of students with food allergies. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta President, Karen Harris, and Medical Advisor, Dr. Luqman Seidu, trained GA CPR instructors during a recent in-service anaphylaxis training.

Georgia is one of approximately 30 states to enact statewide legislation allowing schools to stock epinephrine (approximately 20-25 percent of epinephrine administrations in the school setting involving students or staffers whose allergy was unknown at the time of the event). In addition to helping those whose epinephrine auto-injector isn’t immediately accessible during a reaction, this legislation helps to save the lives of those who experience an anaphylactic reaction and do not have a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta has worked with legislators to improve GA’s stock epinephrine law (HB 337) and supports organizations working on mandates in other states.

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc. is dedicated to helping Georgia educators better manage allergies and anaphylaxis in schools and daycares by providing training programs, educational materials and community support. Eligible Georgia schools can now qualify to receive free EpiPens for schools. All schools are eligible for an additional FREE set for the 2013-14 school years, if implemented by the fall.

Food allergies are on the rise and there is no cure. A CDC report released in May 2013 estimates that “between 1997 and 1999, food allergies affected about 3.4 percent of American children. By 2009 to 2011, that number rose to 5.1 percent – an increase of 50 percent in just over a decade."

About Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta

Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta supports families who manage food allergies, educates those who care for our children, and helps to create a safe environment in the local area for food allergic individuals. Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta offers local meetings, trainings and events for Atlanta and Georgia communities. For more information, visit Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta website, Facebook page, email or call 404-512-7983.