Jefferson County, Ala. (Aug. 12, 2024) — All 56 schools in the Jefferson County school district were named Heart Safe Schools by Alabama LifeStart, a school safety program at Children’s of Alabama and an affiliate of the National Project Adam Program.
The district was recognized for incorporating automated external defibrillator (AED) emergency drills and other safety measures into its curriculum. Julie Farmer, the State Chapter Director of ThinkFirst Alabama, presented the designation to Tara Underwood, the Director of Nursing for Jefferson County Schools.
Dr. Austin Kane, a cardiologist and medical director of Alabama LifeStart, said the designation specifically recognizes how the district maintains an emergency plan and holds practice drills on the use of AEDs.
“Congratulations to Jefferson County Schools on being named a Heart Safe District,” Kane said. “Sudden cardiac arrest can affect anyone, including students, teachers, staff, and school visitors. Early CPR and the use of an AED significantly increase a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest. By having cardiac emergency response plans and practicing AED drills, the Jefferson County School District has taken steps to prepare for cardiac arrest."
The district’s school nurses educate faculty, staff, and students on the proper use of AEDs if they witness a cardiac emergency in a school or the community. With the addition of AEDs, AED trainer devices and AED training, staff at each school will have the knowledge, ability and resources to respond efficiently and help save lives.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 2,000 young, seemingly healthy people under the age of 25 in the United States die each year from sudden cardiac arrest. An AED can increase the survival rate to 50%. A 2007 survey conducted with the Alabama State Department of Education identified 71 public high schools and 107 public middle schools that had no AEDs on campus. Dr. Yung Lau and Barbara Mostella of UAB created Alabama LifeStart to address this need. Hundreds of public, middle, junior and senior high schools in the state are now equipped with at least one AED.
