Feingold Continues Push to Bring Life-Saving Devices to Rural Communities Recent Recall of 11,000 Automated External Defibrillators Increases Need to Fully Fund the Rural AED Act November 17, 2004 Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is once again pushing for an increase in funding for the Rural Access to Emergency Devices (AED) Act in light of recent news that many of the life-saving machines across the country, including some in Wisconsin, are being recalled. Access CardioSystems, a major supplier of AEDs, announced that they are closing their doors and recalling two models of their machines while urging the public to discontinue the use of all of their machines. The business is not offering repairs or refunds for the recalled AEDs. The recall will result in a loss of an estimated 11,000 AEDs across the country, some of which were purchased using funds appropriated under the Rural AED Act. In a letter to Senate appropriators, Feingold, along with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), underscored the importance of retaining the funding appropriated by the Senate for the Rural AED Act as rural communities try to secure funds to replace the recalled AEDs. "With the recent announcement that thousands of defibrillators are being recalled, rural communities face another hurdle in ensuring that people have access to these life-saving devices," Feingold said. "Fully funding the Rural AED Act will help alleviate some of the burden these communities are saddled with as they try to secure defibrillators to help save lives." The Rural AED program helps smaller communities with limited budgets obtain AEDs, as well as the necessary training to operate them, which could help prevent deaths in the event of cardiac arrest. Feingold and Collins co-authored the Rural AED Act, which became law in 2000. "Funding for the Rural AED Act is needed now more than ever, not only to place defibrillators in rural communities that lack them, but also to replace those that have been found to be faulty and can no longer be used," Feingold said.

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