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Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Cardiac Defibrillators In Texas Schools

    This could only happen in Texas! I may have to check around to see what Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa has in common with the company that will be providing this equipment. I should note that some schools already have this equipment on the premises

El Paso Times

Bill requires Texas schools to put in cardiac defibrillators

By Mark Muecke / Austin Bureau

Article Launched: 02/21/2007

AUSTIN -- Schools in Texas would have to install devices that could save the lives of cardiac arrest victims under a bill filed Tuesday.

The proposal, filed by state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, is part of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's "Texas Children First" plan. It would also require nurses, coaches, some students and other school employees at Texas' 8,000 public schools to become certified to use the devices, called automatic external defibrillators.

"The bottom line is that AEDs save lives," Dewhurst said.

Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said chances of surviving a cardiac arrest when a defibrillator is used are 75 percent, but when one is not used the chance of survival drops to 5 percent.

Putting the devices in schools statewide would cost about $16 million, which would come from a combination of federal and state funds and private contributions, Dewhurst said.

The University Interscholastic League passed a new rule in October 2006 that requires every high school to have at least one defibrillator by Aug. 1, 2007, said league spokeswoman  

 

 

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