CPR Day at the Capitol

On May 7 the American Heart Association along with the Texas Society of Anesthesiologist and AT&T held a special training for all lawmakers and staff on how to perform CPR and use an AED. We wanted all Lawmakers and Capitol staffers to be trained on the lifesaving techniques of CPR and AEDs.

Last Spring a tragedy was avoided in the halls of the Capitol when State Representative Edmund Kuempel suffered a massive heart attack one evening. Minutes after he collapsed fellow State Rep. and physician John Zewas performed CPR and used an AED to shock Kuempel's heart back to a normal rhythm.

St. Representative Edmund Kuempel

Despite the severity of the event and spending days in ICU afterwards Edmund Kuempel survived the heart attack and is now doing well. Without the fast action of courageous bystanders and knowledge of CPR and AEDs, Representative Kuempel would like likely not be here today.


Throughout the years the American Heart Association has strongly advocated for public access to defibrillators. Now AEDs can be founded at nearly every airport, school, shopping mall, and sporting event. We even helped get AEDs placed throughout the State Capitol.

Have you been trained in CPR?