Cardiac Arrest Survival Act

The "Cardiac Arrest Survival Act" was federal legislation signed by President Bill Clinton on Nov. 13, 2000. It allowed "automatic external defibrillators" in federal buildings and provided civil liability protection for their use.

Introduced by Florida Lawmaker

• HR 2498 first was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 21, 1999, by Rep. Cliff Stearns, a Florida Republican, and 25 co-sponsors. In addition to encouraging public placement and use of automatic external defibrillators, the bill recommended federal funding to pay for the devices and training.

The Need For AEDs

• According to the legislation, more than 250,000 adults suffer cardiac arrest annually and more than 95 percent die, often because life-saving efforts such as CPR, defibrillation and advanced life support began too late. Communities that provided access to automatic external defibrillators reported a 20 percent increase in survival rates.

Automatic External Defibrillators

• An automatic external defibrillator is a computerized medical device to check a person's heart rhythm and advise when a shock is needed to restore normal functioning. It uses lights, text messages and voice prompts to communicate what steps to take. Although designed to be user-friendly, training is recommended so users will be familiar with the device and operate it properly in an emergency.