NewsLI.com
June
14, 2012
“CPR
in Schools” Legislation Would Arm Entire Generations of New Yorkers with CPR
Training
(Long
Island, NY) Senator Jim Alesi today announced that the Senate passed his bill
(S.2491) to incorporate basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instruction
and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) into high school physical
education or health classes.
“Having
performed CPR twice in recent years, I have first-hand experience at how
critical it is to start CPR as soon as possible to increase the survival rate
of cardiac arrest victims,” said Senator Alesi. “Unquestionably, this
legislation will increase awareness and knowledge of this important life-saving
technique and provide students with valuable basic training. As we
continue to hear more stories about our state’s young people suffering from
sudden cardiac arrest, I cannot think of a better combatant than arming entire
generations of New Yorkers with basic CPR skills.”
“If
you suffer sudden cardiac arrest, your best chance at survival is receiving
bystander CPR until EMTs arrive,” said Dr. Stephen Cook of the Univ ersity of
Rochester Medical Center and American Heart Association advocate. “Eighty
percent of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests happen in the home - so the
life you save will likely be that of a loved one. We are so thrilled the Senate
passed this bill, championed by our own Senator Alesi. CPR saves lives.”
While
this legislation does not require students to become certified in CPR, the
basic instruction will provide students with the valuable skills necessary to
save lives. Currently, CPR may be offered as a voluntary addition to the
health curriculum. Due to the increased awareness of heart disease and
sudden cardiac arrest, CPR instruction can provide students with the knowledge
necessary to act in the event of a cardiac emergency. In 2010, the
American Heart Association revised its CPR guidelines to place a greater
emphasis on chest compressions – commonly known as the “hands-only”
method. Learning this simpler CPR technique can provide students with the
knowledge necessary to save other students’ lives, or the lives of a sibling or
parent.
Senator
Alesi has been a strong advocate for CPR and AED instruction throughout his
tenure in the Legislature. Recently, Senator Alesi introduced a
resolution memorializing Governor Cuomo to proclaim June 1-7, 2012, as CPR and
AED Awareness Week in the State of New York – part of National CPR and AED
Awareness Month. Over the past few months, Senator Alesi has attended a
number of CPR-related events including: visiting Averill Park High School
outside Albany to celebrate the school’s efforts to train more than 1,000
studen ts being trained in CPR in the last three years; hosting the American
Heart Association to Albany for its annual advocacy day; and discussing the
merits of CPR instruction with members from Mercy Flight Central, an
organization Senator Alesi helped to launch a decade ago. In March of
this year, as a first step in leading by example, Senator Alesi and his entire
staff became certified in CPR and AED use, having taken an AHA course at the
Penfield Community Center. Continuing his grass-roots advocacy for CPR
training, Senator Alesi encouraged the AHA to conduct a training seminar for
his colleagues – and various Senate personnel – in Albany prior to the close of
the 2012 Legislative Session; the training took place this morning in concert
with the Senate’s push to pass Senator Alesi’s CPR in Schools Bill.
Passage
of the CPR in Schools bill culminates an incredibly successful, twenty-year
career by Senator Alesi as a strong advocate for increasing public awareness of
CPR and AED use, and as a steadfast supporter of volunteer emergency service
providers. As a precursor to the CPR in Schools legislation, Senator
Alesi championed another similarly significant piece of legislation that has
saved lives: a bill in 2006 that requires public facilities with more than
1,000 people to be equipped with an AED and at least one trained
employee. Senator Alesi has also introduced bills to increase
volunteerism in local emergency service organizations, such as providing a
tuition benefit for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, that was negotiated
and included in a previous budget, and legislation to reduce costs for
volunteer service organizations, including a bill that would have required
energy providers to offer services to ambulance organizations at residen tial
rates.
The
bill will be sent to the Assembly, where it is sponsored by Assemblyman Harvey
Weisenberg (D).
Senator
Alesi has also been instrumental in securing millions of dollars for dozens of
emergency service organizations in Rochester and Monroe County through the
years, including Mercy Flight Central and RIT Student Ambulance, one of the few
state-credited, all-volunteer student ambulance corps in New York State.
For his efforts on behalf of emergency organizations and volunteers, Senator
Alesi has been named an honorary member of most fire departments in the 55th
Senate District, and has previously served a member of the Board of Directors
for Mercy Flight. Growing up in a family which served with volunteer fire and
ambulance companies, Senator Alesi understands how vital these organizations
are to New York State.
Recently,
Senator Alesi received the inaugural Dr. David Satcher Honorary Community
Health Improvement Award from the University of Rochester Medical Center for
his unwavering commitment to the Center for Community Health. Lastly,
Senator Alesi is well-known in the State Capitol as the preeminent author of
children’s health legislation. Since joining the Senate, Senator Alesi
has sponsored numerous bills aimed at protecting children from dangerous
toxins, including legislation that would remove lead and cadmium from toys,
novelty items and costume jewelry, and legislation that established a
Children’s Environmental Health Advocacy Committee to assist state agenci es
and schools in removing toxic cleaning agents from our schools.
Senator
Alesi’s bill to prohibit the use of bisphenol-A (BPA) and other phthalates from
baby bottles and pacifiers received national attention and has become the model
for federal legislation. Also, Senator Alesi previously introduced “Safe
Playground” legislation that eliminated chromate copper arsenate (CCA) from
pressure-treated lumber once commonly used for playgrounds.
