According the American Heart Association, for every minute that passes between cardiac arrest and defibrillation, a person’s chance of survival decreases up to 10 percent.
No school administrator, teacher, or athletic coach wants to think about the prospect of the injury or death of a child who is under their responsibility. Certainly no one working with young people would knowingly let them play on unsafe playground equipment, sit in a classroom that did not meet building code, or participate in sports without the proper protective gear. The school nurse’s office or athletic trainer’s equipment box is expected to be stocked with bandages, cold packs, and other standard first aid supplies.
Yet every day on school campuses and athletic fields, many of our youth are left unprotected from a public health crisis that the Heart Rhythm Society estimates kills from 5,000 to 7,000 children and young people per year – nearly 20 children per day.
What’s the solution?
An AED (automated external defibrillator). Its a simple-to-use device that is becoming a standard of care in public facilities, offices, health clubs, shopping malls, and even many schools.
What can you do?
Take the important step of making sure that CPR skills and an AED are incorporated into your school, business, or organization’s emergency response program.
