Introduced By: Senators Polisena, Kelly, Kells, Fogarty and Enos
Date Introduced : January 22, 1998
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "Health and Safety" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
{ADD23-6.2-1. Declaration of policy. --ADD}{ADDThe legislature recognizes the work of the American Heart Association in establishing that heart disease is a leading cause of death in this country as over three hundred and fifty thousand (350,000) Americans, including three thousand (3,000) Rhode Islanders, die from sudden cardiac arrest every year. Rhode Islanders currently have a survival rate of over five percent (5%) to ten percent (10%) in instances of sudden cardiac arrests occurring outside of hospitals. ADD}
{ADD Greater public access to defibrillation devices may increase the rate of survival in such instances by up to forty-four percent (44%). ADD}
{ADD It is the intent and purpose of this chapter to provide greater public access to defibrillators by distributing such devices to law enforcement and safety personnel throughout the state. ADD}
{ADD 23-6.2-2. State to provide and distribute defibrillators. --ADD} {ADDOn or after September 30, 1998, the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy, after consultation with the Coalition for Public Safety Defibrillators shall provide two (2) defibrillators for distribution to each and every city or town in the state, one (1) defibrillator to the State House, one (1) defibrillator to each campus of the University of Rhode Island, one (1) defibrillator to Rhode Island College and one (1) defibrillator to each campus of the Community College of Rhode Island. Such devices shall be placed in the possession of the chief and/or the highest ranking member of the municipality's police department, the capitol police in the State House, the director of public safety or the chief of the campus police at the University of Rhode Island, the director of public safety or the chief of the department of security and safety at Rhode Island College, the director of public safety or the chief of campus police at the Community College of Rhode Island or the Rhode Island state police in those municipalities where the state police provide law enforcement service, to be deployed by said officer in the manner in which he or she determines will best promote the availability of and access to the defibrillator by the general public. Provided that one or both defibrillators may be deployed to the municipality's fire department if the police chief determines that such deployment would best promote the intent and purpose of this chapter. ADD}
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
