Could the atherosclerotic-related death of Ralph Polanec, the general manager of the Hamilton Crowne Plaza hotel, inside the Balance Gym at 1111 14th Street NW have been avoided? Well, that’s an impossible question to answer. But it is hard to argue that his death might possibly have been averted if the District mandated health clubs to ensure they have a working automated external defibrillator, as is the case in several other jurisdictions. As WTOP reports, Balance’s AED didn’t have working batteries.

The D.C. Code, meanwhile, has laws on the books requiring AED installation in government facilities and one which allows good Samaritans to use them without fear of reprisal, but stops short of requiring them to be maintained inside private health clubs.