SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 660
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize the vital work done by licensed athletic trainers in this
state on the occasion of Licensed Athletic Trainers Month; and
WHEREAS, There are more than 2,900 licensed athletic
trainers in the State of Texas; these health care professionals
have years of education and training in maintaining the health
and safety of student athletes and other individuals in every
athletic health care setting; and
WHEREAS, They are also able to respond to emergencies and
provide care for all individuals in both clinical and athletic
settings; and
WHEREAS, Athletic trainers are well versed in all aspects
of preventative medicine and sport-specific injuries, and they
are valued members of the concussion oversight team; and
WHEREAS, Athletic trainers work with the consent of a
physician or other health care provider licensed to refer for the
prevention, evaluation, treatment, and physical rehabilitation
of a sport-related injury or illness, and they must meet specific
standards of education, professionalism, and ethics and be duly
licensed by the State Advisory Board of Athletic Trainers, a
division of the Texas Department of Health; and
WHEREAS, Athletic trainers work in a variety of settings,
including secondary schools, universities, clinics, hospitals, and
industrial and occupational settings, and they are widely respected
as complete health care providers whose spectrum of care ranges from
prevention to the patient's return to activity; and
WHEREAS, Early evaluation and prompt treatment of injuries
are of vital importance because they may reduce recovery time and
decrease complications in the event of a severe injury; athletic
trainers can make a vital difference in their role as first
responders to an injury; and
WHEREAS, In the last year, four Texas licensed athletic
trainers distinguished themselves by reacting to emergency
situations and initiating procedures that resulted in saving
lives; and
WHEREAS, During fall football practice at the University
of Houston in 2012, two defensive backs collided in mid-air and
then collapsed on the field; when one of the athletes did not get
up, he was immediately attended to by head athletic trainer
Michael O'Shea, who recognized the seriousness of the athlete's
symptoms and immediately stabilized him and called for an
ambulance; the athlete was later diagnosed with a torn inferior
vena cava, a condition that would have resulted in certain death
had treatment been delayed; athletic trainer Michael O'Shea's
immediate recognition of the seriousness of the player's
condition and his quick actions saved the athlete's life; and
WHEREAS, During a 2012 varsity football game at James E.
Rudder High School in Bryan, an athlete collapsed while coming
off the field after a punt; athletic trainers Jaime Woodall and
Michael Lozano went to the athlete's aid even before timeout was
called; the athlete was experiencing agonal breathing, a
life-threatening condition, which was alleviated when the
athletic trainers rolled him over; the athletic trainers
stabilized the athlete's head and neck and began chest
compressions; emergency medical services were activated, and an
automated external defibrillator was used to restore the
athlete's heart rhythm; the athlete was later diagnosed with Long
QT Syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder, and he could have died on
the field if not for the quick actions of athletic trainers
Michael Lozano and Jaime Woodall; and
WHEREAS, During a Leander Vista Ridge High School football
game in 2012, an elderly male fan collapsed in the stands;
athletic trainer Michael Henry immediately headed to the fan's
side, calling for an athletic training student to bring the
school's automated external defibrillator; by the time he
reached the collapsed man, bystanders had already begun
cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Mr. Henry used the defibrillator
and restored the old gentleman's vital signs, and he monitored
him until emergency medical services personnel arrived; the man
had a history of heart problems and would not have survived
without the quick actions of the bystanders and athletic trainer
Michael Henry; and
WHEREAS, After a girls' basketball playoff game at Glenda
Dawson High School in Pearland on the night of February 19, 2013,
athletic trainer Monica Jackson was on her way from the locker
room to the gymnasium when she was informed that a man had fallen
in the bleachers and needed help; as she approached, the injured
man was lying on the bench, and a doctor assessing him stated that
he could detect no pulse; Monica Jackson held the man's head as
the doctor began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation; at
the same time, she advised an officer to call emergency medical
services and sent someone to retrieve the school's automated
external defibrillator, which she then calmly used to analyze the
patient's heart rhythm and restore his pulse by the time Pearland
Fire Department paramedics arrived and transported him to the
hospital; if it had not been for athletic trainer Monica
Jackson's knowledge, composure, and quick actions, the patient
likely would have died; and
WHEREAS, Because of their training and experience, their
skill, and their immediate response, these five athletic
trainers played a vital role in saving the lives of four athletes
and fans, and they are truly worthy of legislative recognition;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd
Legislature, hereby commend licensed athletic trainers Michael
O'Shea, Jaime Woodall, Michael Lozano, Michael Henry, and Monica
Jackson for their dedication, their expertise, and the immediate
and lifesaving medical actions they took in these incidents; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
them as an expression of highest regard from the Texas Senate.
Deuell
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 17, 2013.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate