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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The observance of CPR-AED Awareness Week from June 1 |
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to June 7, 2009, provides a fitting opportunity for residents of the |
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Lone Star State to learn about the life-saving benefits of |
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cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external |
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defibrillators; and |
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WHEREAS, A public awareness and training campaign sponsored |
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by the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and the |
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National Safety Council, CPR-AED Week seeks to educate the public |
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about the dangers of heart disease and the effectiveness of |
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administering CPR and using an AED in critical situations; and |
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WHEREAS, Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the |
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United States, affecting citizens of every race and age, and it is |
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the most common reason for a cardiac arrest to result in a fatality; |
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cardiac arrest is the sudden and abrupt loss of heart function, and |
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approximately 295,000 instances of it occur outside of a hospital |
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each year; in these cases, only 30 percent of the victims receive |
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bystander-administered CPR, and more than 90 percent of the |
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individuals involved die before being discharged from a hospital; |
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the treatment for cardiac arrest is an electric shock to the heart, |
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which restores a normal heartbeat, but it must be performed within |
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minutes in order to be successful; and |
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WHEREAS, When CPR is delivered promptly, a victim's chance of |
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survival doubles, and for every minute without it, the likelihood |
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decreases by 7-10 percent; since the time period between the 9-1-1 |
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telephone call and the arrival of Emergency Medical Services |
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personnel is usually longer than five minutes, it is crucial for |
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witnesses of cardiac emergencies to assist victims as soon as |
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possible; if a bystander administers CPR, the process helps |
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maintain blood flow to the heart and brain, and thereby increases |
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the amount of time in which an electric shock from a defibrillator |
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may be effective; similarly, if a bystander uses an AED, which is |
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safe and easy to operate, immediately after the onset of symptoms, |
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it is highly likely that the device will cause the heart to resume a |
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normal rhythm and that ventricular fibrillation will cease; and |
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WHEREAS, CPR-AED Awareness Week promotes greater |
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understanding of heart disease and cardiac arrest within our |
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communities, and it is contributing to the health and well-being of |
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people throughout Texas; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize June 1 to June 7, 2009, as CPR-AED |
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Awareness Week in Texas and encourage all citizens to seek training |
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in CPR and AED usage. |