Thanks to Senator Franken and Senator Klobuchar for their support of the Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program

Thanks to Senator Franken and Senator Klobuchar for signing a letter urging Senate Appropriations to continue support of the Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program and other rural health programs in FY 2012. The Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program helps small communities and rural areas purchase AED’s, train first responders and lay rescuers in their use and places them in public areas where sudden cardiac arrest is likely to occur.

Survival rates for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest victims remain at 8 percent. However, a victim’s chance of survival more than doubles with immediate CPR and early defibrillation—an electrical shock to help restore a heart to its normal rhythm— using an automated external defibrillator (AED). Competitively awarded grants under the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Program allow states to purchase AEDs, train lay rescuers and first responders in their use, and place them in public areas where sudden cardiac arrests are likely to occur.

To read the letter, please follow this link: Rural Health Caucus Letter.

Today marks the first day of National CPR Week (June 1 - 7). To learn more about how you can learn to save a life follow this link: Save a Life; Learn Hands Only-CPR.