Losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare, and the King family has come far too close to that reality — twice! But thanks to the preparedness and quick actions of Greenville Schools’ staff, both of the family’s daughters survived their cardiac arrests.
In 2023, middle schooler Willa King collapsed on her school’s track. On-location first responders sprang into action, administered an automated external defibrillator (AED), and saved Willa’s life. Years before, Willa’s sister suffered a similar cardiac event on the playground and also received lifesaving emergency aid.
The King family’s story shows what a huge difference it can make when school staff have the proper training and equipment to deliver immediate emergency care. Unfortunately, not enough schools have such emergency measures in place. It’s time to change that.
Keep reading to learn more about youth cardiac emergencies and how schools can prepare to save students’ lives.
The Reality of Cardiac Emergencies in Schools
Many people assume that cardiac arrests are rare or that they only happen to people of a certain age or with certain health conditions. As a result, many schools are underprepared to respond when an emergency occurs.
In reality, cardiac events can happen to anyone — even young, seemingly healthy students.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year, over 356,000 people in the U.S. suffer a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, and 60% to 80% of those die before they can get to a hospital.
- An estimated 2,000 children and adolescents die from cardiac arrest each year. These deaths make up roughly 3-5% of the annual deaths of children between the ages of 5 and 19.
- Although “one out of every 250-600 cardiac arrests occurs on school grounds,” a 2022 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that the majority of high school students do not receive adequate CPR training, even in states where it is required by law.
- An investigation by Scripps News found that 31 states do not require schools to have AEDs available on campus, and only five states require schools to conduct AED drills.
In a cardiac event, early intervention through CPR and the use of an AED can mean the difference between life and death. Schools must take action to prepare their staff to provide emergency aid at a moment’s notice.
The Power of Preparation
Greenville County has set an excellent example for schools everywhere by ensuring that each location has trained first responders on-site. Each of those first responders has an assigned emergency role that they have practiced. When an emergency occurs, they are well-equipped to respond quickly and in an organized manner.
Additionally, these schools ensure that AEDs are available and that the first responder teams are trained to use them. Studies have shown that AEDs increase survival rates by as much as 50% to 74% when they are used within minutes of a cardiac arrest.
Offering staff-wide training in CPR, AED use, and first aid is essential to protect the lives of each and every student at your school. However, a lack of funding, training, or accessibility can make this a challenging goal. Fortunately, these barriers can all be overcome — and are well worth the effort to make our schools safer.
Whether you need blended online and in-person training with a certified instructor or want to build your own on-campus CPR training program, flexible options are available to help you get your staff trained as efficiently, affordably, and effectively as possible.
The Action Steps for School Administrators
If you’re ready to begin preparing your school’s staff to handle cardiac arrests and other emergencies, here are some key action steps to get you started.
- Assess your current preparedness. Do you have emergency response plans? How many — if any — staff members are CPR certified? Do you have AEDs available? Where are they, and who on your staff knows how to use them?
- Invest in staff-wide CPR and AED training. Don’t limit emergency aid training to nurses — coaches, teachers, and office staff should all be trained to administer lifesaving aid, as well.
- Ensure AED accessibility. Place AEDs in high-traffic areas with clear signage. Communicate to staff and even students where the AEDs are, how easy they are to use, and what types of emergencies require an AED.
- Invite local agencies to your school. Consider inviting your local EMS agency, fire department, and law enforcement agency for a visit. They have specialized skill sets that can help you plan for additional scenarios. These agencies can also become familiar with the layout of your buildings, which will help them if they’re ever needed.
- Implement emergency drills. Just like fire drills, schools should run regular CPR and AED emergency response drills. This reduces panic during real emergencies and ensures everyone understands their emergency roles well in advance.
- Advocate for legislation. You can help make CPR and AED training more accessible by advocating for legislation and funding to put AEDs in more schools throughout your state.
While you can’t predict when a cardiac emergency will occur at your school, by taking the above actions, you can help ensure that your staff are prepared to respond whenever the need arises.
The Key to Saving Student Lives
The King family’s story proves that preparedness saves lives. It’s time for schools to lead the charge and prioritize CPR and AED training for everyone.
In addition to making this training available to your staff, consider establishing a campus-wide chain of survival procedure so everyone knows what to do and where to go in an emergency. Then, run drills to ensure the procedure will run smoothly when it counts.
Remember, saving even one life will make all the effort worthwhile. By taking action today, your school could be the reason a student survives tomorrow.
Ready to put your students’ safety first? Contact us today to learn how ProTrainings can help you set up your school’s CPR program.