[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 133 (Monday, September 10, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1848-E1849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST AWARENESS DAY

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                          HON. DARRELL E. ISSA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 10, 2007

  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, today I rise to remember those who have died 
as a result of sudden cardiac arrest, and to introduce a House 
Resolution in support of the goals and ideals of Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
Awareness Day.
  Sudden cardiac arrest, SCA, is a condition in which the heart 
suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, causing blood to stop flowing 
to the brain and other vital organs. SCA usually causes death if not 
treated in minutes.
  Annually, 250,000 to 450,000 Americans have sudden cardiac arrest, 
and 95 percent of these people die within minutes. But SCA does not 
have to take this many lives. Rapid treatment of SCA with a 
defibrillator, a device that sends an electrical shock to the heart, 
can be lifesaving. According to the Department of Health and Human 
Services' National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute, automated external 
defibrillators, AEDs, which are often found in public places like 
airports and office buildings, can be used to save the lives of people 
having SCAs.
  On May 20, 2005, 14-year-old Travis Roy was at school in Murrieta, 
CA, when he suffered SCA. His school, like most schools, did

[[Page E1849]]

not have an AED, and tragically, Travis died because treatment could 
not be administered fast enough.
  Since Travis's death, his family has campaigned to raise awareness of 
SCA and to get AEDs placed in schools. To date, several schools in the 
southern California area have implemented AED programs, including the 
Murrieta Valley Unified School District, Temecula Valley Unified School 
District, San Jacinto Unified School District and Point Loma Nazarene 
University in San Diego.
  California has proclaimed September 12 as Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
Awareness Day, to honor those who died as a result of sudden cardiac 
arrest. Awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and ensuring 
defibrillators are available in schools and other public buildings can 
save lives. Raising awareness of sudden cardiac arrest is a task worthy 
of Congress's attention.

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