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THE CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVAL ACT: PART ONE - Page 2

© Kathleen Newton

(7) The first persons at the scene of an arrest are typically lay persons who are friends or family of the victim, fire services, public safety personnel, basic life support emergency medical services providers, teachers, coaches and supervisors of sports or other extracurricular activities, providers of day care, school bus drivers, lifeguards, attendants at public gatherings, coworkers, and other leaders within the community.

(8) The Federal Government should facilitate programs for the placement of AEDs in public buildings, including provisions regarding the training of personnel in CPR and AED use, integration with the emergency medical services system, and maintenance of the devices.

SEC. 3. RECOMMENDATIONS OF SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REGARDING PLACEMENT OF AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS IN FEDERAL BUILDINGS. Part B of title II of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 238 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following section:

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING PLACEMENT OF AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS IN FEDERAL BUILDINGS SEC. 247.

(a) IN GENERAL- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 1999, the Secretary shall assist in providing for an improvement in the survival rates of individuals who experience cardiac arrest in Federal buildings by publishing in the Federal Register for public comment the recommendations of the Secretary with respect to placing automatic external defibrillators in such buildings. The Secretary shall in addition assist Federal agencies in implementing programs for such placement.

(b) CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN GOALS FOR SURVIVAL RATES- In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consider the goals established by national public-health organizations for improving the survival rates of individuals who experience cardiac arrest in nonhospital settings, including goals for minimizing the time elapsing between the onset of cardiac arrest and the initial medical response.

(c) CERTAIN PROCEDURES- The matters addressed by the Secretary in the recommendations under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Procedures for implementing appropriate nationally recognized training courses in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators.

(2) Procedures for proper maintenance and testing of such devices, according to the guidelines of the manufacturer of the devices.

(3) Procedures for ensuring direct involvement of a licensed medical professional and coordination with local emergency medical services in the oversight of training and notification of incidents of the use of the devices.

(4) Procedures for ensuring notification of an agent of the local emergency medical system dispatch center of the location and type of device.

(d) CERTAIN CRITERIA- In making recommendations under subsection (a), the Secretary shall determine the following:

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