U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) have introduced legislation to reauthorize the Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory Act, or the ADAM Act. The bill would establish a national clearinghouse that would aid school systems seeking to set up public defibrillation programs. The ADAM Act, originally introduced by Senators Collins and Feingold, became law in 2003.
“More than 200,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year. It is estimated that between 5,000 and 7,000 children across the country die suddenly without exhibiting previous systems but that some of these deaths could have been prevented if an automated external defibrillator had been available at the time of the emergency,” said Senator Collins. “We must do all we can to ensure that high schools have access to the equipment and training that they need to prevent sudden cardiac deaths, which can occur during athletic competitions and other school events. Through the reenactment and funding of this critical initiative, we can give schools across the country the tools required to save lives.”
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.
Senators Collins and Feingold have also worked on another initiative to empower communities and improve cardiac arrest survival rates. In 2002, the Senators introduced and helped pass into law the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Act, which allows community partnerships across the country to receive a grant enabling them to purchase defibrillators, and receive the training needed to use these devices. Currently, the program has funded nearly $45 million in grants to help save lives in rural areas by providing AEDs.
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