GRAND RAPIDS, MI-- Innovation Central High School was recognized by state officials Tuesday, May 20, as one of the 40 schools in Michigan prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies.
A total of eight West Michigan schools will get to hang banners reflecting their MI HEARTSafe School designation. The new award is an initiative from the Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young and the American Heart Association.
"Whenever we can bring people together to focus on a particular training or particular issue like this with young people, it makes a difference," said James Haveman, director of the Department of Community Health, during a press conference at Innovation Central, 421 Fountain St. NE.
"Forty schools have really stepped up to the plate to really do something about sudden cardiac issues."
Haveman said in Michigan, between 1999 and 2009, there were 3,134 young people between ages 1 and 39 who died of sudden cardiac death. He said sudden cardiac death claims the lives of more than 300 Michigan children and young adults between the ages of 1 to 39 annually, and much of it is preventable.
Innovation Central Principal Mark Frost said the entire staff at the 860-student Innovation Central has been trained to use automated electronic defibrillators, and 218 - two-thirds of the students enrolled in its Academy of Health, Science and Technology - have CPR certification.
The academy, a partnerships with Spectrum Health, is one of four Grand Rapids Schools Centers of Innovation programs on the campus.
The 2011 death Wes Leonard, a 16-year-old Fennville High School student who died on the basketball court, received national attention and raised the awareness about the need for AEDs. Lenoard had enlarged heart caused by ARVC - arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
Leonard's mother, Jocelyn Leonard, attended Tuesday's ceremony and joined staff from Fennville Public Schools, who received the designation for its elementary, middle and high school.
"We should celebrate the schools that are prepared and ready to respond," said Leonard, who said her son didn't make it because there wasn't an AED on site. "With the MiSafe award, it gives that attention in a positive way. I think these banners are a big thing and that parents will be looking for them in their schools."
She said the Wes Leonard Heart Team Foundation has distributed 105 AEDs throughout the state.
Kyle Guerrant, deputy superintendent of administration and school support services for MDE, said the designation is another step toward ensuring more children are safe at school.
"There is no greater importance than having your son or daughter be safe at school," he said.
The MI HEARTSafe designation is good for three years. In addition to Innovation Central and Fennville, other West Michigan schools recognized were: Cedar Springs High School, Kent Career Technical Center, Kent Transition Center and Kent Vocational Options.
Public Act 12 of 2014 requires all schools - grades kindergarten to 12- to have a cardiac emergency response plan in place by July 1, 2014.
The minimum criteria required for the designation is:
- A written medical emergency response plan (ERP), reviewed at least annually with staff.
- A medical emergency response team (MERT) with current CPR/AED certification, sufficient to respond to an emergency during school hours AND during organized after-school activities and sports.
- At least 10 percent of staff, 50 percent of coaches and 50 percent of P.E. staff with current CPR/AED certification.
- The sufficient number of accessible, properly maintained and inspected AEDs, ready to use, with signs identifying AED locations. A sufficient number is estimated by time to scene, in place, and analyzing within a target goal of 3 minutes.
- The performance of at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year, Including recognizing signs of sudden cardiac arrest and using the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival: calling 9-1-1 and use of bystander CPR and AED until EMS arrive to provide advanced life support.
- All athletic pre-participation screening completed with the Michigan High School Athletic Association form.