Posted: | December 9, 2022 04:38 PM |
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From: | Senator Art Haywood and Sen. Mike Regan |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Requiring Automatic External Defibrillators in Health Clubs |
In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation to require Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in health clubs in the Commonwealth. Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) increases during strenuous physical exercise. Athletic and active individuals are estimated to be three times more likely to suffer SCA than those with similar age and risk profiles. Despite these facts, AEDs are not required in health clubs in Pennsylvania as long as there are employees present who can perform CPR. The American Heart Association (AHA) includes usage of an AED in their recommendations for responding to an emergency cardiac arrest as a bystander. Anyone who is taught CPR in a Basic Life Support class is also taught how to use an AED. According to the AHA, immediate CPR and use of an AED can double, or even triple, survival rates. In fact, 9 in 10 cardiac arrest victims who receive a shock from an AED in the first minute live. Our legislation will require all health clubs to have at least one AED on the premises along with appropriate signage. Please join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as SB713