In his FY 2014 budget submitted to Congress on April 10th, President Obama zeroed out funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program—the AED Program. Now it is up to Congress to restore funding for this life-saving program, as they have done in the past, but they need to hear from as many of their constituents as possible on the value of this program. The American Heart Association's Ad Hoc Coalition To Save Lives Through Public Access to Defibrillation urges you to contact your legislators and ask that funding be restored. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is a member of the Coalition.
Action Alert
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This is a critical time in Congress, as lawmakers declare their funding priorities and the next round of budget negotiations begin. Even in this difficult economy, there are several federally-funded programs that are vital to the heart and stroke community, and we need to let lawmakers know they must be made a priority. One such program helps buy and place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in rural communities and trains first responders and lay rescuers in their use. The Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program ensures those who live in rural areas or small towns have access to the tools that give them the best chance of surviving a cardiac arrest, but the program currently only has the resources to operate in seven states and one U.S. territory. Shouldn’t people in every state be given the best shot at surviving a cardiac arrest? Communities with aggressive AED placements have increased survival rates from 10% to nearly 40%- an incredible improvement! But first responders, churches, recreation facilities and others in 43 states are still waiting for funds for this life-saving program. We need your help now to secure funding for this important AED program.
Contact your lawmaker today! Ask them to prioritize funding that saves lives. |
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