The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation has announced the schools that will receive grants for automated external defibrillators (AEDs), made possible by the Hillsdale Fund. AEDs are used to resuscitate victims of sudden cardiac arrest, the third leading cause of death in the U.S., which affects nearly 360,000 people each year, including 7,000 youth.
PITTSBURGH, PA--The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation has announced the schools that will receive grants to acquire automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through its You Can Save a Life at School AED Grant Program, made possible by the Hillsdale Fund.
The grants to elementary and secondary public, parochial, and charter schools will enable them to acquire recertified AEDs, designed to help save lives threatened by sudden cardiac arrest. Schools also may opt to apply the grants to acquire new AEDs. The lifesaving devices will be provided by Enerspect Medical Solutions, a partner of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, which carries all AED brands.
The Foundation announced the grant opportunity last fall. Applicants were asked to complete an online application and submit an essay describing their school, its population, and why it needs an AED. Applicants were also asked to commit to follow the Cardiac Emergency Response Plan, recently developed through a collaborative effort of the American Heart Association, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, and other nonprofit organizations.
The Foundation received dozens of applications and will award grants to schools that fulfilled application requirements and have the greatest need. Schools without any AEDs and a population of 100 or more students, and schools with one AED and a population of 500 or more students, were given the highest priority.
“The Hillsdale Fund is pleased to support the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation initiative to improve survival from sudden cardiac arrest in school settings,” said James Richardson, MBA, CCEMT-P, Aspen Colorado Ambulance District director, who is a director of the Hillsdale Fund and a member of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation Board of Directors.
Grants for AEDs will be awarded to the following schools:
1. Bendle Public Schools, Burton, Michigan
2. Charlevoix Public Schools, Charlevoix, Michigan
3. Cordova School District, Cordova, Alaska
4. Ellsworth Community School, Ewen, Michigan
5. Father Marquette Catholic School, Marquette, Michigan
6. Hamady High School, Flint, Michigan
7. Joshua Academy Charter School, Evansville, Indiana
8. Leonardo DaVinci School for Gifted Learners, Green Bay, Wisconsin
9. Lincoln Elementary School, Green Bay, Wisconsin
10. McAuliffe Elementary, Green Bay, Wisconsin
11. Stanton Township Public Schools, Atlantic Mine, Michigan
12. Vincentian Academy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“We are happy to be able to help these schools prepare for sudden cardiac arrest by providing automated external defibrillators as part of a comprehensive cardiac emergency response plan,” said Mary M. Newman, MS, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation president. “The availability of these lifesaving devices will increase the likelihood of survival from sudden cardiac arrest, whether it strikes a student, staff member, parent or visitor. We commend these schools for having the vision to prepare for sudden cardiac arrest in their communities. And we thank the Hillsdale Fund for making this grant program possible.”
Sudden cardiac arrest strikes nearly 360,000 people outside hospitals each year, including 7,000 youth under the age of 18. The average survival rate is 10 percent, but when events are witnessed and bystanders intervene, survival rates are three times higher.
About the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is a national community benefit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to raising awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and saving lives. Programs include educational campaigns for secondary schools and colleges and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Network, an online community that provides peer support and opportunities for survivors and family members to participate in awareness, advocacy, and research initiatives.
About the Hillsdale Fund
The Hillsdale Fund, Inc., an independent foundation based in Greensboro, North Carolina, was established in 1963 by members of the Lunsford Richardson family. Mr. Richardson was the founder of the Vick Chemical Company.
About Enerspect Medical Solutions
With 30 years of experience in the emergency medical response market, the Enerspect team offers solutions focused on strengthening emergency response systems to improve overall medical outcomes through training and innovative technology solutions.