PUBLIC LAW 106-505—NOV. 13, 2000 114 STAT. 2341 (2) The American Heart Association estimates that 250,000 Americans die from sudden cardiac arrest each year. (3) A cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival drops 10 percent for every minute that passes before his or her heart is returned to normal rh3^hm. (4) Because most cardiac arrest victims are initially in ventricular fibrillation, and the only treatment for ventricular fibrillation is defibrillation, prompt access to defibrillation to return the heart to normal rhythm is essential. (5) Lifesaving technology, the automated external defibrillator, has been developed to allow trained lay rescuers to respond to cardiac arrest by using this simple device to shock the heart into normal rhythm. (6) Those people who are likely to be first on the scene of a cardiac arrest situation in many communities, particularly smaller and rural communities, lack sufficient numbers of automated external defibrillators to respond to cardiac arrest in a timely manner. (7) The American Heart Association estimates that more than 50,000 deaths could be prevented each year if defibrillators were more widely available to designated responders. (8) Legislation should be enacted to encourage greater public access to automated external defibrillators in communities across the United States. SEC. 413. GRANTS. 42 USC 254c (a) IN GENERAL. — The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Rural Health Outreach Office of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall award grants to community partnerships that meet the requirements of subsection (b) to enable such partnerships^ to purchase equipment and provide training as provided for in subsection (c). (b) COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.— A community partnership meets the requirements of this subsection if such partnership— (1) is composed of local emergency response entities such as community training facilities, local emergency responders, fire and rescue departments, police, community hospitals, and local non-profit entities and for-profit entities concerned about cardiac arrest survival rates; (2) evaluates the local community emergency response times to assess whether they meet the standards established by national public health organizations such as the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross; and (3) submits to the Secretary of Health and Human Services an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c) USE OF FUNDS.— Amounts provided under a grant under this section shall be used— (1) to purchase automated external defibrillators that have been approved, or cleared for marketing, by the Food and Drug Administration; and (2) to provide defibrillator and basic life support training in automated external defibrillator usage through the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or other nationally recognized training courses. (d) REPORT. —Not later than 4 years after the date of the Deadline, enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services
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