As an American Heart Association CPR/AED/First Aid instructor, an EMT instructor, an EMT with 22 years of experience, and a Pennsylvania State Evaluator for EMTs, Steve Zweifach has learned how important applying his professional experience and personal passion can be in the legislative process. Over the last several months, the Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, advocate has worked closely with AHA advocacy staff to help generate support for Senate Bill 351, legislation that would expand PA’s Good Samaritan Law to provide liability protections for AED program facilitators and general bystanders performing CPR and first aid/rescue.


Steve was first introduced to Advocacy and the You’re the Cure network by asking a question to ECC staff about whether or not those who perform hands-only CPR were protected from liability under the current PA Good Samaritan law. Steve quickly learned that they, in fact, were not and that there was even a larger issue over the lack of liability protections granted for Pennsylvania citizens who want to help in an emergency. Steve quickly jumped into action and became a strong voice, sharing his expertise with PA legislators about the importance of placing AEDs and granting bystanders the ability to perform CPR without concern over being sued.

Steve took his voice to the State Capitol in May during State Advocacy Day to urge lawmakers to support Senate Bill 351, and made that important extra step to follow up with his legislators once he returned home. He also wrote a letter-to-the-editor in support of Senate Bill 351, which was successfully placed in two local newspapers, including the Harrisburg Patriot-News, the hub of Pennsylvania’s State Capitol happenings.

We commend Steve for his tireless work to save lives in his community in so many ways. The American Heart Association is grateful for his invaluable assistance in helping to raise awareness of SB 351 and the importance that CPR/AED use is in improving cardiac arrest survival rates in Pennsylvania.