Bill Text: VA SJR289 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Designating Feb. 20, 2019 and each succeeding year, as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Awareness Day.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-02-21 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ289ER) [SJR289 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-SJR289-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, each year, more than 600,000 people, including men, women, and children of all races and backgrounds, suffer from a sudden cardiac arrest; and
WHEREAS, in most adults, sudden cardiac arrest results from an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an abnormal heart rhythm, which can disrupt blood flow to the brain, lungs, and other organs; while the terms are often used interchangeably, sudden cardiac arrest is medically distinct from a heart attack; and
WHEREAS, more than 395,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, and approximately 90 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before arriving at a hospital; and
WHEREAS, when sudden cardiac arrest occurs outside of a hospital, a friend, family member, or bystander may be required to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the victim; 70 percent of Americans say they would not know how to act in a cardiac arrest emergency or do not feel comfortable performing CPR because their training has lapsed; and
WHEREAS, effective treatment demands an immediate response from a bystander to call 911, begin CPR, and locate an automated external defibrillator, with the victim's likelihood of survival decreasing by 10 percent every minute after sudden cardiac arrest; and
WHEREAS, CPR with only chest compressions has been found to be as effective as CPR with breaths in treating victims of sudden cardiac arrest, and the American Heart Association has recommended Hands-Only CPR for adults since 2008; a person performing CPR should push on the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, a perfect match to the beat of the song "Stayin' Alive"; and
WHEREAS, prompt delivery of CPR more than doubles the chance of survival from sudden cardiac arrest by helping to maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain, increasing the length of time after the onset of sudden cardiac arrest in which an electric shock from a defibrillator can be effective; and
WHEREAS, an automated external defibrillator, even when used by a bystander, is safe, easy to operate, and highly effective in restoring a normal heart rhythm, significantly increasing the chance of survival for many victims if used promptly after the onset of sudden cardiac arrest; and
WHEREAS, death or severe brain injury is likely to occur unless resuscitation measures are started no later than 10 minutes after the onset of sudden cardiac arrest; and
WHEREAS, the interval between a 911 call and the arrival of emergency medical personnel is typically longer than five minutes, making it vital for members of the public to seek training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use; and
WHEREAS, on February 20, 2017, 12-year-old John Michael Brereton was finishing baseball practice when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest; his coach, Jacob Alexander Hummer, performed CPR until emergency services arrived, saving the boy's life with his quick thinking and training; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly designate February 20, in 2019 and in each succeeding year, as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Awareness Day in Virginia; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to American Heart Association so that members of the organization may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter; and, be it
RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the Senate post the designation of this day on the General Assembly's website.
