Explanation
Council member Patsy Thomas initiated Project HeartStart in 2003 to increase survival rates among heart attack victims and to start the effort by expanding the number of automated external defibrillation devices in the community and ensuring that more citizens are trained in CPR. She pulled together a number of partners; including the Division of Fire, Local 67 of the IAFF, the Department of Human Resources, all four local non-profit hospitals, and the American Heart Association. The first focus of Project HeartStart has been the City of Columbus. Thomas and partners worked to install eleven AED units in City buildings and to commence a training program for City employees to operate the life-saving devices.
This resolution commemorates October 4th, 2004 as City of Columbus AED Day and thanks the 21 City employees who have volunteered to become CPR/AED instructors, and the over 350 City employees who have been trained under the program, for their commitment to make the City a safer, healthier place.
Title
To designate October 4th, 2004 as City of Columbus AED Day, and to recognize and thank the 21 City Employees who have volunteered to become CPR/AED instructors and the over 350 City employees who have been trained in CPR and AED use, as well as to encourage other City employees to join Project HeartStart and ensure more people survive a heart attack.
Body
WHEREAS, the use of automated external defibrillation units with CPR can increase survival rates among sudden cardiac arrest victims from about 7% to over 74%; and,.
WHEREAS, the City initiated Project HeartStart in 2003 to increase survival rates for heart attack victims and started the effort by looking for ways to more widely distribute such devices and ensure that more individuals are trained in CPR; and
WHEREAS, the City's internal program includes training its employees to operate AED units in conjunction with CPR to improve the safety of its own workforce; and
WHEREAS, to highlight the importance of this overall effort, it is appropriate to publicly recognize and thank those employees who have volunteered to undergo such training and to serve as trainers; and to designate October 4th, 2004 as City of Columbus AED Day; now, therefore:
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council wishes to designate October 4th, 2004 as City of Columbus AED Day, and wishes to thank and commend the 21 City employees who have volunteered to become CPR/AED instructors and the more than 350 City employees who have undergone such training, and to encourage other City employees to join Project HeartStart to learn life-saving practices that will improve survival rates of those who may suffer a heart attack.