New legislation for AEDs in schools.

• Author: Zipes, Douglas
• Position: Neighborhood Heart Watch - Brief Article

Federal legislation signed by President Bush on July 1 will create a national clearinghouse to provide training and tips for schools on how to raise money to buy defibrillators.

The Automatic Defibrillation in Adam's Memory Act also authorizes $25 million for states to increase awareness and establish public access defibrillation programs in schools.

The bill was inspired by the sudden death of 17-year-old Adam Lemel, who collapsed during a high-school basketball game in early 1999. Sponsors also cited the case of 13-year-old Sean Morley of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, who suffered cardiac arrest after being hit by a pitch in a baseball game. A police officer revived the boy with a defibrillator.

The ADAM Act goes beyond...