Jefferson Elementary School and Fox River Academy is pleased to inform you that we have joined a community effort to implement a sustainable and comprehensive CPR and AED program. This decision is the result of our wish to make our buildings safe for our students, visitors and employees.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) occurs when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, cutting off blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. SCA is fatal if not treated immediately. Having access to an AED as well as having a written plan and a team of CPR/AED-trained staff ready to act in an emergency can save the life of someone suffering a SCA during those critical first few minutes.
Through our cooperative efforts with Project ADAM and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, we have joined hundreds of schools throughout the state of Wisconsin and beyond in preparing our school for a life-threatening emergency. This program enables us to offer any person who may experience a Sudden Cardiac Arrest during regular school hours, the best chance for survival.
Jefferson Elementary School and Fox River Academy currently has two AEDs in the building. The AEDs are stored in wall cabinets. When the cabinet doors are opened, a loud alarm will sound. This alerts everyone that there is a potential emergency. Our school has a maintenance plan in place for the units. The AEDs are designed to work effectively unless they are tampered with.
Additionally, the AED will not shock a person unless it detects a shockable rhythm (ventricular fibrillation). Staff has been trained to assist with an emergency during regular school hours. After school hours and during the summer, this is a Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program.
If you suspect someone is experiencing a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, please feel free to use the equipment at our school. Good Samaritan laws protect the layperson in a life-saving attempt, although we recommend becoming trained in CPR/AED use as an investment in your health and the health of others. Our local Emergency Medical Services and AASD Medical Director are aware of our procedures for the program.
“Project ADAM is a national, non-profit organization committed to saving lives through advocacy, education, preparedness and collaboration to prevent sudden cardiac death. Our affiliate programs improve the cardiac chain of survival in schools and communities in memory of Adam Lemel, a 17 year-old Whitefish Bay, WI, high school student who collapsed and died while playing basketball at school.”
Many thanks for your participation in this important Heart Safe initiative in our school. To see our school on the Project ADAM map, visit
www.projectadamwi.com.
Sincerely,
AASD District Nursing Staff