WHEREAS, medical experts have determined that the sooner a heart attack victim can be defibrillated, the greater the chance the victim will survive; and,

WHEREAS, police officers are often the first emergency personnel to arrive on the scene of a heart attack victim; and,

WHEREAS, the medical industry has developed automatic external defibrillators that can allow non-medical personnel to safely and effectively defibrillate heart attack victims; and,

WHEREAS, the use of automatic external defibrillators by police officers could result in the saving of countless lives; and,

WHEREAS, the American Heart Association has endorsed the concept of equipping police officers and other public safety first response personnel with automatic external defibrillators; and,

WHEREAS, both the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Fire Chiefs are organizations dedicated to ensuring that both police and fire fighting agencies have the equipment necessary to protect and assist the public; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the leaders of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Fire Chiefs work together to promote the use of automatic external defibrillators by police and fire fighters.