Last June, the Seattle Public Schools board voted unanimously to install at least one automatic external defibrillator (AED) in each of the 93 schools all over the city, and to develop an emergency plan that calls for training responders in CPR and the use of an AED. An AED program in the schools would protect not only the lives of children, but of teachers, administration, and any other adults who are on site at the school.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can strike anyone at any time without having any prior symptoms, and it can strike young children as well. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, “It’s estimated that 6-8,000 deaths result from SCA in the young on an annual basis.” Giving aid to a victim within the first 3-5 minutes is critical to survival, and though CPR can help circulate the blood flow in a person, it’s only a stopgap measure until a defibrillator can be used to deliver a shock to the heart.
In a School Action Report dated May 15, 2010, Maria Goodloe Johnson cited the following:
Recent research also suggests that survival in victims of SCA occurring in a high school equipped with an on-site AED program is greater than 60%. A school with an effective medical response plan and AED is 10 times more likely to have a victim survive a cardiac arrest on campus. Providing public access AEDs will not only provide a vital resource for our students, but also to the community who regularly uses our facilities during non-school hours.
Since the school board vote, the Heart of Seattle Schools Project has been working to raise funds for the AED program. The one-time cost to install an AED, provide the necessary training, and the maintenance of the device is roughly $2,000 per school. The program is about halfway to their fund raising goal.
A gala and fund raising dinner will be held on Saturday, October 23 at the Don James Center, Husky Stadium from 6-10 p.m. Tickets for the gala are $100 per person and the evening includes a reception, silent auction, dinner and a live auction. If you can’t make it to the auction, you can still make a donation to the program by clicking here.
In addition to the fund raising side, the Heart of Seattle Schools is also looking for parents to serve as volunteer coordinator for their children’s’ schools. The role of the parent coordinator is to help facilitate the school’s participation in raising the $2,000 needed for one AED package, and working with the PTSA to meet that goal. As of yet, there are no parents signed up for John Stanford International, McDonald School, or Hamilton International. If you’re interested in serving as an AED steward for your school, you can contact Darla Varrenti (darla at nickoftimefoundation.org) from the Nick of Time Foundation, which helped to create the Heart of Seattle Schools program.