Bill Text: DE SCR34 | 2009-2010 | 145th General Assembly | Draft

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Bill Title: Recognizing The Week Of June 1-7, 2010 As National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (cpr) And Automated External Defibrillator (aed) Awareness Week In Delaware

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-06-01 - Passed in House by Voice Vote [SCR34 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2009-SCR34-Draft.html

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SPONSOR:	Sen. Peterson & Rep. Ramone

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

145th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 34

RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF JUNE 1-7, 2010 AS NATIONAL CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) AND AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED) AWARENESS WEEK IN DELAWARE

WHEREAS, heart disease affects Americans of every age and race and continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States; and

WHEREAS, approximately 295,000 emergency medical services-treated, out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually nationwide and roughly 92 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before being discharged from a hospital; and

WHEREAS, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death among adults in North America, and claims the lives of more than 200,000 persons in the United States annually; and

WHEREAS, sudden cardiac arrest results from an abnormal heart rhythm in most adults, often ventricular fibrillation; and

WHEREAS, prompt delivery of CPR more than doubles the victim's chance of survival by helping to maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain, thereby increasing the amount of time in which an electric shock from a defibrillator may be effective; and

WHEREAS, an automated external defibrillator, even when used by a bystander, is safe, easy to operate, and, if used immediately after the onset of sudden cardiac arrest, is highly effective in ending ventricular fibrillation so that the heart can resume a normal, effective rhythm; and

WHEREAS, for every minute that passes without CPR administered by a bystander, survival from cardiac arrest decreases by seven to ten percent; and

WHEREAS, because the interval between a 9-1-1 telephone call and the arrival of emergency medical services personnel is usually longer than five minutes, a cardiac arrest victim's survival is likely to depend on having members of the public trained in CPR and AED use available and having widespread access to AED devices; and

WHEREAS, it has been established that improved training and increased access to automatic external defibrillator (AED) devices could save 50,000 lives each year; and

WHEREAS, it is now believed by experts in the field that, ideally, all Americans should be within four minutes of an AED and someone trained in its use; and

WHEREAS, inDecember, 2007, the U.S. Congress enacted legislation designating the first week of June of each year as National CPR and AED Awareness Week for the purpose of increasing public awareness of this urgent issue;

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 145th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the members do hereby recognize the week of 1 – 7 June, 2010, as "National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Week" in Delaware.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all Delaware citizens are hereby urged to seek training in the use of CPR and AED devices at their earliest opportunity, and that all government agencies, public and private schools, and private companies and organizations explore the possibility of installing one or more AED's at convenient locations at their places of business and keeping the devices in good working order.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that suitable copies of this concurrent resolution be sent, upon its passage, to the Delaware chapters of the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the Matthew Krug Foundation, Parent Heart Watch, Youth Heart Watch at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and to the Delaware Department of Education.

SYNOPSIS

This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes the week of 1 – 7 June, 2010, as National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) week in Delaware.Further, it urges all Delaware citizens to seek training in CPR and in the proper operation of AED devices and urges government agencies, public and private schools and private companies and organizations to install AED's at their places of business.

Author:Senator Peterson