Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Gentry schools earn ‘Heart Safe School’ status
GENTRY — Every second counts when someone goes into cardiac arrest.
Without a quick response and the proper use of CPR and an automated external defibrillator, or AED, it may be too late by the time emergency personnel arrive on the scene. That’s why the staff at Gentry High School have taken part in Project ADAM and have staff members trained and ready to perform CPR and use an AED.
On April 14, at the high school, school nurses and staff members participated in a timed drill to test their readiness and response time should an emergency occur. The drill included a 911 call and a response from Gentry school resource officers, Gentry Fire Department first responders, and Pafford EMS, which provides ambulance service in Gentry.
Officials said the team did well, with CPR properly administered immediately and an AED on site in 33 seconds and put into use. When first responders and EMS personnel arrived, they began integrating with the school staff to take over CPR and lifesaving measures.
The school was awarded the status of “Heart Safe School” and presented with a banner following the successful drill.
Shortly after the high school exercise, a second drill followed at the middle school campus.
“Project ADAM began in 1999, in Wisconsin, after the death of Adam Lemel, who was just 17 years old when he collapsed and died while playing basketball,” according to the Project ADAM website. “Adam suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, in which ventricular fibrillation occurred, a condition in which the ventricles cannot pump blood into the body. Defibrillation, or an AED, could have saved his life. Adam’s parents, Patty and Joe, teamed up with Children’s Wisconsin to create Project ADAM.
“While sudden cardiac arrest is uncommon in young people, it sadly does happen. And it’s exactly that — sudden and unexpected. But, immediate CPR and the availability of an AED can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. So while you can’t predict when one might strike, you can plan your response. That’s where Project ADAM is making a difference,” the website states.
Project ADAM has grown into a nationwide initiative and has saved the lives of more than 200 children, adolescents and adults, the website states. There are currently 38 Project ADAM-affiliated sites in 29 states, according to the website.
Participating in the high school drill were school staff members Emily Camp, Garrett Burcham, Cody Forga, Erica Jones, Courtney Place, Megan Smith, Terry Styles, Justin Blanchard, Lonnie Moll and Mary Bailey; Fire Department personnel Matt Thompson, Brandon Earley, Tanner Christie and Colby Brewer; Pafford EMS personnel Chris Straube and Kailyn Howerton; and Police Department school resource officers Barbara Duffney and Hyrum Wheeler.
Timing the drill and offering comments and suggestions afterward, as well as awarding the two schools “Heart Safe School” banners, was Charles Wooley, the community outreach specialist from Arkansas Children’s Heart Institute.