As the safety and well-being of students are more important than anything else in educational institutions, schools need to provide every measure available to guarantee it. One safety aspect in schools that does not get the attention it deserves is the availability of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).
These life-saving devices are essential in responding to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). A fact that may startle you is that SCA is a leading cause of death among young athletes. This is just one reason why AEDs must be readily available in schools.
Join us as we explore several key safety benefits of AEDs in schools in Dallas. We’ll highlight why every academic institution needs to implement a comprehensive AED program regardless of state laws and regulations.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)
Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition that occurs when the heart stops beating without any prior signs of failure. It is a life-threatening condition and can lead to death within minutes unless the victim receives treatment on the spot.
While sudden cardiac arrest can affect everyone, regardless of age, health status, sex, or race, it is of particular concern to schools. SCA does have a high incidence of occurring during physical activity, such as engaging in high-intensity sports events, putting young athletes at significantly higher risk.
It’s important to note that SCA is not limited to athletes and can happen to anyone. AEDs in schools are just as beneficial to the staff and outside visitors as they are to the students attending classes.
AEDs in Schools: Safety Benefits
Having AEDs in schools brings about a sense of security and safety, mostly due to the feeling that every step to ensure quick reactions during catastrophic emergencies has been taken. However, the feeling of safety is far from the only benefit students and staff get from having AEDs readily available in the school hallways and on the institution’s grounds.
SCA Incidents on School Campuses
The American College of Cardiology states that around two in 50 high schools across the United States face at least one sudden cardiac arrest event in a given year. This statistic alone highlights the importance of immediate access to an AED on campus. Throw in the fact that, on average, SCA claims the lives of 7,000-10,000 youth annually, and AEDs in schools start making a lot more sense.
Teachers, staff, students, and visitors are all at risk of experiencing SCA, so school AEDs need to contain the components to help both adults and children. Such packages need to include pads for those weighing under and over 55 lbs, covering the needs of all individuals in range of the device.
Saving Lives
An AED is the only effective treatment option for a person in cardiac distress. In cases where an AED is not immediately accessible, a victim has to wait for the reaction of emergency medical services. As ideal as having a medical professional take care of a student or staff member suffering from an SCA, an 8 to 12-minute response time means that professional help is too far away.
AED programs in schools help flip these statistics, ensuring a massively improved survival rate among those suffering from an SCA. Immediate AED access translates to a significantly high survival rate. It can reach as high as 85% if all staff members are up to date with their CRP and AED certification and properly trained for practical use.
Rapid Response
In cases of sudden cardiac arrest, nothing is more important than swift action. The American College of Cardiology stresses how critical quick defibrillation is by providing statistical data on how survival rates decrease by 7-10% with every passing minute without shocking the heart.
Access to AEDs, positioned following the “90-second rule,” where retrieving the device should not take a person longer than 3 minutes, makes all the difference in situations where the prognosis is dire.
Ease of use
One of the most important safety benefits of AEDs in schools is that everyone can use them with minimal or even no training if the situation requires it. As the name suggests, these devices are fully automated, providing operators with clear audio and visual instructions on every step of the process.
State Requirements
So far, 20 out of 50 states have drawn up legal frameworks that mandate the presence of AEDs in schools. Having AEDs strategically placed all over school grounds complies with the legal state legal requirements. Regardless of legal requirements and consequences, the high survival rate in cases of AED presence is more than enough to merit the presence of such life-saving devices in every school in the country.
How to Implement a School AED Program
Implementing a thought-out AED program in a school is a simple task, as some organizations provide both the training and certification and customized programs. Such programs include refresher courses for the staff and regular maintenance of the AEDs.
The essential steps to starting an AED program implementation include:
- Initial Assessment – The size and layout of a school determine how many AEDs are sufficient for complete coverage. Important factors to consider are the number of buildings, student and staff population, and identifying areas where physical activity occurs.
- Training and Awareness – AED usage and CPR training are crucial; ideally, every staff member needs to be well-versed and updated with them. Drills and simulations are another invaluable tool for preparing staff and students for emergencies.
- Maintenance and Monitoring – AEDs need proper maintenance to ensure they work without issues. Companies offering them provide a maintenance schedule to ensure that AEDs always work properly. Regular checks on battery status, expiration dates of the electrodes, and overall condition are crucial in maintaining AED functionality.
- Emergency Response Integration – AED use should be integral to a school’s emergency response plan. Staff members have to know where AEDs are and how much time they have to acquire one in the case of an SCA emergency. Coordination with local EMS providers is also an important aspect of emergency integration.
- Community Collaboration – Local organizations like fire departments and healthcare providers usually have outreach or in-house programs offering emergency training and support. Such a partnership can greatly enhance the effectiveness of a school’s AED program in the long run, making everyone more calm and collected in a worst-case scenario.
Conclusion
Implementing a school AED programming schools has the potential to save lives and provide peace of mind to students, staff, and parents. The safety benefits of AEDs in schools in Dallas are not just limited to these two aspects. Since sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone without warning at any time, having quick access to an AED can make a huge difference in their chances of survival and post-emergency recovery time.
Organizations proactively prioritize the community’s well-being by providing CPR and AED training and certification to school staff, creating a safer environment for everyone on site. For individual or group training in every aspect of AED use and first aid techniques, 20 out of 50 states at your earliest convenience!