Pledge of Allegiance

AEDs Mandated in NY Public Schools On May 8, 2002, Governor Pataki signed into law S. 10577. This piece of legislation requires that at least 1 AED, and a staff member trained to use it, be available on the premises of each instructional facility in every public School District, Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), County Vocational Education and Extension Board (VEEB), and Charter School. The bill was passed unanimously by both the State Senate and Assembly. State Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, shown here with Claire Desetto, RN and Joseph Sciammarella, MD, was instrumental in securing the passage of this life-saving legislation. The bill was strongly supported by the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation. Louis J. Acompora died at the age of 14, when he suffered cardiac arrest after being struck in the chest with a Lacrosse ball while playing goalie for the Northport/East Northport Lacrosse team. He was wearing full protective gear when he was struck. He sutained what is known as Commotio Cordis, a syndrome of ventricular fibrillation brought on by blunt trauma to the chest. For more information on Commotio Cordis, or to make a donation to the foundation, visit www.LA12.org or write to:

Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation PO Box 767 Northport, NY 11768.

Text of the Bill

STATE OF NEW YORK

IN ASSEMBLY

AN ACT to amend the education law and a chapter of the laws of 2002 amending the education law relating to requiring certain public school facilities to retain on premises at least one functional cardiac automated external defibrillator, as proposed in legislative bill number A. 779-A, in relation to on-site cardiac automated external defibrillator The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: Section 1. Section 917 of the education law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2002 amending the education law relating to requiring certain public school facilities to retain on premises at least one functional cardiac automated external defibrillator, as proposed in legislative bill number A.8779-A, is amended to read as follows: § 917. On-site cardiac automated external defibrillator. 1. School Districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, County Vocational Education and Extension Boards and Charter Schools shall provide and maintain on-site in each instructional school facility automated external defibrillator (AED) equipment, as defined in paragraph (a)of subdivision one of section three thousand-b of the public health law, in quantities and types deemed by the commissioner in consultation with the commissioner of health to be adequate to ensure ready and appropriate access for use during emergencies. 2. Whenever public school facilities pursuant to subdivision one of this section are used for school sponsored or school approved curricular or extracurricular events or activities and whenever a school-sponsored athletic contest is held at any location, the public school officials and administrators responsible for such school facility or athletic contest shall ensure the presence of at least one staff person who is trained, pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision three of section three thousand-b of the public health law, in the operation and use of an AED. Where a school-sponsored competitive athletic event is held at a site other than a public school facility, the public school officials shall assure that automated external defibrillator equipment is provided on-site. 3. Public school facilities and staff pursuant to subdivisions one and two of this section shall be deemed a "public access defibrillation provider" as defined in paragraph (c) of subdivision one of section three thousand-b of the public health law and shall be subject to the requirements and limitations of such section. 4. Pursuant to section three thousand-a and three thousand-b of the public health law, any public access defibrillation provider, or any employee or other agent of the provider who, in accordance with the provisions of this section, voluntarily and without expectation of monetary compensation renders emergency medical or first aid treatment using an AED which has been made available pursuant to this section, to a person who is unconscious, ill or injured, shall be liable only pursuant to section three thousand-a of the public health law. § 2. This act shall take effect September 1, 2002. § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act shall take effect on the same date as a chapter of the laws of 2002 amending the education law, relating to requiring certain public school facilities to retain on premises at least one functional cardiac automated external defibrillator, as proposed in legislative bill number A. 8779-A takes effect. Signed by Governor George Pataki on May 8, 2002