More than 50 activists, families and residents from throughout the Commonwealth joined Dinniman on Tuesday, October 1 in calling for the passage of Senate Bill 606, legislation that would help ensure that every public school in Pennsylvania has an automated external defibrillator (AED) that is up to date and ready to use.
The press conference was part of a day of legislative action as October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.
“Sixteen to twenty families will go home tonight without a family member due to sudden cardiac arrest. We cannot save everyone – sudden cardiac arrest is not that accommodating. But not trying simply because we cannot do it all is unconscionable,” said Steve Silva, president of Aidan’s Heart Foundation. “The cost of enacting this legislation amounts to one hundredth of one cent in each dollar in the state education budget. We are asking for the minimum investment for the maximum return of all – having children come home to their families each day.”
Senate Bill 606 has been dubbed “Aidan’s Law” in honor of his son, Aidan Silva – a bright, happy and healthy seven-year-old from Chester County who tragically passed away from sudden cardiac arrest in September 2010.
Also speaking at the press conference was Blair Allan, a Villa Maria Academy student-athlete who survived sudden cardiac arrest thanks to the use of an AED. Allan recounted her ordeal and reinforced the need to have an AED available and ready to use for every child.
“The only way to correct sudden cardiac arrest is an AED. And often, sudden cardiac arrest is the first symptom in over half the people who have this,” said, Dr. Victoria Vetter, a cardiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Make this happen. Make this happen now. Every day we don’t have AEDs in schools, we are at risk of losing another child.”
Mary Newman, President of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, called the lack of AEDs in every school “a travesty” and a failure to protect “our greatest resource – our children.”
Also in attendance were Senators Jim Brewster, Tim Solobay, Rob Teplitz and Sean Wiley.
“It’s crucial that we do the right thing,” Wiley said. “I cannot fathom anyone not supporting this bill.”
Senate Bill 606 was approved unanimously by the Senate Education Committee in June and now awaits a vote by the Senate Appropriations Committee and full Senate before going to the House for consideration.
The bill currently has 24 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle. It has been endorsed by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society and the Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners.
For more information contact Senator Dinniman’s West Chester Office at (610) 692-2112, or e-mail acirucci [at] pasenate.com.
SOURCE: Senator Andy Dinniman
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To read speech by Aidan's father, Steve Silva, see attachment.