Res. No. 1616
Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass A.03646-B/S.00178-B, which would require that basic CPR training be included in secondary school health education curriculum.
By Council Members Gerson, Brewer, Fidler, Gentile, James, Koppell, Mealy, Palma, Weprin, Avella, White Jr., Felder, Lappin, Stewart and Mitchell
Whereas, According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, resulting in over 700,000 deaths in the U.S. each year; and
Whereas, Sudden cardiac arrest, which often results from irregular heart rhythms, kills more than 325,000 people in the U.S. each year, according to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association; and
Whereas, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a combination of rescue breathing and chest compressions delivered to victims thought to be in cardiac arrest; and
Whereas, CPR helps maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain and increases the amount of time that an electric shock from a defibrillator can be effective; and
Whereas, According to the American Heart Association (AHA), brain death starts to occur four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR and defibrillation occurs during that time; and
Whereas, Approximately 95% of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital, according to AHA; and
Whereas, New York City’s survival rate from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is less than 3%, which is worse than the national average of 5%, according to the Pre-Hospital Evaluation of New York Cardiac Survival (PHENYCS) study team, a collaborative effort between the New York Academy of Medicine and the Fire Department of New York; and
Whereas, Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after cardiac arrest, can double a victim’s chance of survival, according to AHA; and
Whereas, The AHA also finds that about 75% to 80% of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, so being trained to perform CPR can mean the difference between life and death for a loved one; and
Whereas, Currently under New York State Law, CPR training is merely optional in secondary school health education curricula; and
Whereas, Training students in CPR will increase their knowledge of vital life-saving techniques and enhance their ability to save lives; and
Whereas, Because of the above average death rate for sudden cardiac arrest victims in New York City, many City residents die needlessly; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass A.03646-B/S.00178-B, which would require that basic CPR training be included in secondary school health education curriculum.
LS#5830
JA
8/19/08
11:12am