| |
1st
appeared 27 July 1999
Governor Davis Signs SB 911
Governor Gray Davis yesterday (July 26) signed into law SB 911, legislation by Senator Liz
Figueroa (D-Fremont) that provides immunity from civil liability to any person who acts in
good faith using an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) in saving the life of a cardiac
arrest victim.
UCSF faculty have been heavily involved in campaigning for this legislation. Barbara Drew,
associate professor in the School of Nursing, was recently awarded the Dr. John J. Sampson
Exemplary Volunteer Award from the San Francisco division of the American Heart
Association for her efforts to make AEDs available in public places.
"Cardiac arrest is a life or death situation. Having an on-site Automatic External
Defibrillator could maximize the chances of survival," said Davis. "This bill
will encourage businesses to keep AEDs in easy-to-reach locations, leading to more people
surviving potentially fatal heart attacks."
SB 911 provides immunity for people who operate a new class of portable electric
defibrillators that are easy to use by simply following the directions given out loud by
the device during operation. The bill adds the use of the device to the state's "Good
Samaritan" law, which grants civil immunity to people who in good faith render
emergency care or treatment. California joins 23 other states with similar laws.
According to the governor's office, every month more than 2,900 people suffer sudden
cardiac arrest (SCA) in California. It is estimated that 460 of these occur in public
places and of those, 440 people will die. The survival rate for victims of SCA outside of
a hospital setting is less than one percent. According to the American Heart Association,
the only realistic chance of people surviving from an SCA is to be defibrillated within
the small window of opportunity for resuscitation -- no more than 4-5 minutes -- before
damage to the brain occurs.
Links:
Drew's Heart Makes a
Difference
UCSF Faculty Play Role in
Effort to Pass SB 911 |
