Written by: Bri Bobo
How important do you think it is for school staff to know CPR or how to use an AED machine? Students spend all day everyday at school and educators spend all day, everyday with children and that’s one reason why they are required to know these important life-saving techniques. School staff are required to stay certified by taking required classes every two years. Salem Schools is now taking that certification even further, ensuring that there are AED machines available all over the school campus to be used in a moment’s notice.
Salem is working with Project Adam, a program that helps evaluate a school’s plan to save lives in case of a cardiac emergency in the school building.
According to SCS Corporation Nurse Whitney Bowers, Project Adam is an initiative created by the parents of Adam Lemel, a 17 year old high schooler who collapsed during a high school basketball game with cardiac arrest.
“While he was administered CPR, an AED was not available and his heart never properly regained rhythm,” she said, explaining that he died from sudden cardiac arrest, which can happen at any point to anyone.
“Project Adam was created to help get the appropriate equipment (AED, bleed kits, etc) and trained, knowledgeable people within schools, sports, and communities to improve the outcomes in cardiac events,” Bowers. “Adam’s parents, along with Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, created the program. SCS is working with Riley Children's Hospital to get certified at this time.”
Bowers, who is new this year to the corporation, said that luckily, SCS already had AEDs in place. Because of this, the corporation didn't need a lot of funding to get Project Adam certified, just more training and paperwork.
One of the biggest requirements for Project Adam is having an AED within three minutes of everywhere on campus and establishing cardiac emergency response plans for our district. Because of this, the school did need to purchase some AEDs for sporting complexes on the school campus.
“Superintendent Jill Mires worked really hard on getting four new AEDs for us,” said Bowers. “We have received those and they are located or are currently being installed in the high school safe room, outside the football field concession stands, the softball field concession stand, and between the tennis and baseball fields.”
Bowers said the school worked with the Washington County Health Department and were given two additional AED. They are currently installed in the elementary and middle school safe rooms.
“So in total, each building has four AEDs, three of our sporting facilities have one, and our athletic trainer has one,” she said.
Bowers is certified in CPR and AED usage through the American Red Cross and has taken CPR every two years since. She became a nurse in 2008. This is also a requirement for all teachers to maintain their license.
Bowers is currently working toward getting her provider license so that she will be able to certify every person that works in the school system, every two years. She has had many situations where she needed to use an AED in a hospital setting. Luckily, there were multiple people in a hospital setting and were able to work together.
Salem schools have had to use an AED on people in the past. Bowers said there were a couple occasions before she was employed with the school. She said the athletic trainer’s AED had to be used on a spectator at our cross country meet.
“Thankfully those around the person that collapsed knew how to use an AED and saved their life!” she said.
“I feel like being trained in CPR/AED definitely allows me to teach AED usage. Also, our new AEDs are very user friendly. When you turn them on by pulling the tab, they start talking to you and tell you exactly what to do. They even count compressions and breathing during CPR, and only shock if necessary. They are wonderful assets to our school!”
Bowers said she does feel it is critical for everyone to know how to use an AED, not just teachers.
“Cardiac episodes can happen anywhere, at any time,” she said. “Just grabbing an AED and bringing it to an emergency situation saves valuable time in saving someone's life. They can be the tool between life and death.”
Bowers said she hopes no one has to ever use an AED on someone.
“It can be scary, but knowing how to use it brings peace of mind to a situation,” she said. “Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that a teacher would not have to use an AED in their career because they might! But there's always a chance! You do not have to be certified to use an AED on someone. But honestly, they are user friendly to most everyone. You will want to be CPR certified. It can be as simple as hands on CPR that will assist if there is an incident. Fortunately there are a multitude of places to take classes to be CPR certified. I suggest this to any person able.”
Bowers expects the school to be Project Adam certified by August 2025.