| May 23, 2002 |
Contact:
HRSA Press Office
301-443-3376 |
HRSA Grants Will Spread Use of Life-Saving Defibrillators
in Rural America
In today’s
Federal Register, HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration
announced the availability of $12.5 million in grants for rural communities
to buy and learn how to use automated external defibrillators.
Defibrillators can help save the lives of people who have heart attacks
far from a hospital.
The new grant program, created by the Rural Access to Emergency Devices
Act 2000 and managed by HRSA’s Office of Rural Health Policy, will require
recipients to buy FDA-approved automated defibrillators and provide
training on their use through the American Heart Association, the American
Red Cross or other nationally recognized training courses.
Eligible applicants include:
- local first response organizations, such as emergency medical services,
fire and rescue and law enforcement units; and
- local for-profit and non-profit groups that have a demonstrated
concern about cardiac arrest survival rates. These include community
hospitals or clinics, nursing homes, athletic facilities, faith-based
organizations and schools.
HRSA expects to award approximately 50 grants of varying amounts.
Applications are due by July 15; awards will be announced in late September.
Application kits are available from the HRSA Grants Application Center
at 901 Russell Ave., Suite 450, Gaithersburg, Md. 20879; phone: 1-877-HRSA-123;
fax: 1-877-HRSA-345; e-mail: hrsagac@hrsa.gov.
Please refer to Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 93.259
when requesting an application kit. For more information on the
Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program, contact Evan Mayfield
at (301) 443-0835; fax (301) 443-2803; email: ruralaed@hrsa.gov.
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