Castle High School assistant baseball coach Brent Taniguchi's life was saved by an automatic external defibrillator in May, just minutes before a game against Maui High School.

Taniguchi collapsed from cardiac arrest in the dugout after his team had just completed a set of warmups on the field during a state baseball tournament on Maui.

"I was hitting balls to our kids before the game, getting ready to start. I collapsed and the next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital emergency room," Taniguchi said. "The good thing was that the Maui High School athletic trainer brought the defibrillator with him. I'm really thankful for that."

In a move designed to save other lives, the Hawaii Medical Service Association will announce today the donation of nearly $160,000 worth of the life-saving devices to public and private high schools statewide.

The donation is in response to a request by the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association, according to HMSA.

The automated defibrillators, which have become common in health clubs, sports arenas and airplanes, lets people without medical training help those whose hearts suddenly stop pumping blood.

Don Weisman, spokesman for the American Heart Association of Hawai'i, said that while cardiac arrest is uncommon among young people, it sometimes happens.

He said the devices would contribute to the health of high school students, faculty, staff and athletic teams. The association has worked with community organizations to distribute several hundred across the state, including to some schools.

About 163,000 people suffer cardiac arrest in the country each year, according to the American Heart Association.

"And these are people who don't otherwise have a disease. It's not always related to heart disease. Cardiac arrest can be caused by a congenital defect, something you're born with," he said.

Taniguchi, who plans to resume coaching baseball in the spring, said it is good that high schools will have defibrillators available.

Weisman said the association recommends that defibrillators be located at fitness clubs, golf courses and other areas where people may be physically active, as well as large gathering places.

The devices allow people to respond quickly to cardiac arrest while waiting for emergency medical personnel to arrive, he said. Treatment is most crucial during the first five minutes of cardiac arrest, since a person loses about 10 percent of brain function every minute the heart does not have a normal rhythm.

Most machines do not require any specific training, since audio and sometimes visual prompts direct a user through its use. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training is recommended since machines often prompt users to administer CPR, Weisman said.

"It basically tells you what to do. It's practically goof proof," he said.

The machine won't work if a person does not require medical assistance, if a person has a normal heart rhythm or if it is being used improperly, he said.

Castle High School athletic director Richard Haru said most high school athletic departments do not have defibrillators, making the donations a "tremendous asset."

"More so with what happened last year, this tool will allow athletic trainers and others to be able to react quickly during those situations," he said.

HMSA plans to release additional information about the donation today.

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.