I would just like to call your attention to this.

At the February 23 Reading School Board meeting, the Finance Committee passed Resolution 5, ordering 22 external defibrillators for the district.

I was the one who initially suggested the resolution, and if you'll allow me a moment to explain, I'll tell you why I wanted to purchase these defibrillators. This won't be coming out of the budget - the money for the machines will be raised wholly from fundraising efforts.

I originally came up with the idea after speaking to Captain Jimenez, the head of the JROTC program at Reading High School. I asked him if he had any students who ever passed out in school, and what he felt should be done about it, if he would feel better if there were defibrillators on school property; he said yes. I spoke to the Superintendent and several others on the School Board about these defibrillators, and they all agreed that it was a good idea to pursue.

Our students need the care and protection they deserve, and I believe we must give as much of that protection to them as possible. Defibrillators are just one of the ways for us to do so.