Community Life Saving Stories

SCAA Calls on President Obama to Increase Funding of Rural AED Program in 2013

Even though 2012 isn't even here yet, SCAA, in collaboration with the American Heart Association and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition, strongly urged President Obama to increase funding of the Rural AED program in FY 2013 to $8.927 million. The Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices program provides states with grants to purchase and deploy automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and train individuals in their use. SCA survival rates are notoriously low in rural communities, where geography and fewer emergency responders can challenge the implementation of lifesaving emergency medical care.

The last time this program received $8.927 million in funding was back in FY 2005 when 47 states received resources for this lifesaving, competitively awarded grant initiative. The program has been on life-support for the past few years. In FY 2010, only 21 states received funding from the program. In February 2011, the Health Resources and Services Administration approved more than 90 applications into the program, but sadly could not fund even one due to lack of resources.