Res 0193-2014

By Council Members Johnson, Constantinides, Chin, Cornegy, Eugene, Koo, Rose, Espinal, Cumbo, Kallos, Crowley, Palma, Mendez, Rosenthal and Rodriguez Whereas, As many as 70 percent of Americans do not know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) according to the American Heart Association (AHA); and Whereas, Approximately 383,000 instances of cardiac arrest occur outside of hospitals annually, in places of work, schools, or other public areas, according to the AHA; and Whereas, According to the American Health and Safety Institute, youths under 18-years-old face a 5.4 percent survival rate for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) treated cardiac arrest; and Whereas, In the event of cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, prompt and effective administration of CPR can double or triple a victim's chances of survival; and Whereas, A victim's chances of survival are reduced by 7 to 10 percent with every minute that passes without CPR, according to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCAF); and Whereas, However, only 32 percent of cardiac arrest victims receive CPR from a bystander, according to SCAF; and Whereas, In an effort to make it easier for people to perform CPR, the AHA recently revised its CPR guidelines by placing a greater emphasis on chest compressions; and Whereas, This process, known as hands-only CPR, is easier to teach and has survival rates comparable to conventional CPR with both compressions and breath; and Whereas, The AHA reports that studies have shown that trainees can become proficient at CPR with just thirty minutes of instruction; and Whereas, Individuals with some training, even if they lack full, up-to-date CPR certification, can be the difference between life and death in cases of cardiac arrest; and Whereas, Given the high rate of cardiac arrest outside of hospitals, the relative ease with which CPR can be taught, and the important impact it can have on survival rates, teaching New York City schools students CPR can save many lives; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Education to mandate training in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for all enrollees in every high school under its control. PD LS#953 3/17/14 1