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Federal legislation signed by President Bush on July 1 will create a national clearinghouse to provide training and tips for schools on how to raise money to buy defibrillators.
The Automatic Defibrillation in Adam's Memory Act also authorizes $25 million for states to increase awareness and establish public access defibrillation programs in schools.
The bill was inspired by the sudden death of 17-year-old Adam Lemel, who collapsed during a high-school basketball game in early 1999. Sponsors also cited the case of 13-year-old Sean Morley of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, who suffered cardiac arrest after being hit by a pitch in a baseball game. A police officer revived the boy with a defibrillator.
The ADAM Act goes beyond saving lives of student athletes, according to former American Heart Association president Dr. Robert Bonow. Schools are often used for community gatherings and as disaster shelters, he says. School-based AED programs train students in lifesaving CPR and defibrillator skills. In addition, the school data will provide important information that can be used to provide even more effective initiatives and programs in the future. Look for more on the school defibrillator bill in upcoming issues of NHW.
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