Two Utica Community Schools in Sterling Heights were named HEARTSafe schools

Stevenson High School and Henry Ford II High School were awarded for their commitment to prepapre for cardiac emergencies

Two Utica Community Schools high schools received MIHEARTSafe status for committing to prepare for any cardiac emergencies.

Stevenson High School and Henry Ford II high schools were among the 105 in Michigan to be given this award from the Michigan Departments of Health and Human Services and Education, American Heart Association, Michigan Athletic Association and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young, according to a media release.

Henry Ford II High School worked with Jennifer Shea, the director of the Student Heart Check Program at Beaumont Health. She helped the school with the application process and came out for a site visit in March of 2016, noting the location of the AEDs and making recommendations about increasing signage to be able to identify the AED’s better. She ensured the school had to proper criteria met to apply for the HEARTSafe award.

According to Henry Ford II High School Principal Ken Cucchi, the school rated really well on a cardiac care drill.

HEARTSafe is a public health initiative intended to help more people survive after sudden cardiac arrest, according to the HEARTSafe Communities website. If certain measures, including CPR and defibrillation, are not taken immediately, a person will not generally survive when his or her heart stops suddenly.

“In order to apply for the HEARTsafe school designation, the schools had to have a Cardiac Emergency Response plan that addressed what they would do both during school and after school in case of a medical emergency on campus,” Shea said,

The two schools had to meet a number of standards in order to become a MI HEARTSafe designation, which include the following:

• They have to perform at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year.
• They must have a written medical emergency response plan and team, reviewed at least annually with staff.
• At least 10 percent of the staff must have current CPR/Automated External Defibrillators (AED) certification.
• They must have accessible, properly maintained and inspected AEDs with signs identifying their location.
• Ensure pre-participation sports screening of all student athletes, using the current physical and history form endorsed by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

According to Shea, the schools had to conduct an AED drill where they practiced the plan to make sure everyone knew what to do in the 3-5 minutes they have to save someone in cardiac arrest.

MI HEARTSafe School designation is awarded for a period of three school years, according to MI Genetics Resource Center.

Along with having an implemented cardiac emergency response plan, Henry Ford II and Stevenson high schools have also taken additional steps to be prepared for a cardiac emergency, including.

All schools (grades kindergarten to 12) are required by law to adopt and implement a cardiac emergency response plan under the Public Act 12 of 2014, which has to address the following according to Michigan Legislature:

• If available, using and maintaining automated external defibrillators.

• Activation of a cardiac emergency response team during an identified cardiac emergency.

• A plan for effective and efficient communication throughout the school campus.

• If the school includes grades 9 to 12, a training plan for the use of an automated external defibrillator and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques.

• Incorporation and integration of the local emergency response system and emergency response agencies with the school’s plan.

• An annual review and evaluation of the cardiac emergency response plan.

“The schools did a great job getting themselves prepared in case something happens,” Shea said,

In 2015, one UCS school, Burr Elementary, was named a HeartSAFE school.

Original Story Credit: The Source - http://www.sourcenewspapers.com/news/two-utica-community-schools-high-schools-in-sterling-heights-were/article_593b9097-6a0b-5eab-8b71-db51defe3f1f.html

By Emilee Gorshe emilee.gorshe@advisorsource.com @emileegorshe on Twitter