"Tragically, hundreds of thousands of people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, including young adults and children," Feingold said. "We can do more to prevent these deaths by increasing access to defibrillators. I am very pleased the Senate has supported funding for the ADAM Act. The more we can do to educate schools on how to obtain and operate defibrillators, the more lives we can save."
"The ADAM Act is part of our continuing effort to lower cardiac arrest rates across the country. By providing this funding, more defibrillators can be placed in high schools to help prevent sudden cardiac deaths, particularly at athletic events," Senator Collins said. "Immediate access to defibrillators gives schools the power to save the lives of students and visitors, before it's too late."
Although sudden cardiac deaths occur more commonly in adults, each year an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 children across the country die suddenly without exhibiting previous symptoms. The ADAM Act is designed to help schools with technical guidance, appropriate training, fund-raising techniques, and other logistics required for successful programs.
The ADAM Act was inspired by Adam Lemel, a 17-year-old high school student from Wisconsin who collapsed and died from an undiagnosed heart condition while playing in a junior varsity basketball game.
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