Lansing Christian School was named a MI HEARTSafe School by the Michigan Departments of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Education (MDE), American Heart Association (AHA), Michigan Athletic Association (MHSAA) and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (MAP-SCDY) which recognizes schools that are prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies.
At LCS, we believe that equipping our students with training and practice in all areas concerning safety is a very important part of a student’s education. While students are in our school – teaching them to be knowledgeable and responsive about safety can prepare them to be people who contribute to the safety of all people in their communities and in the world.
It is our experience that equipping and empowering each one of our staff to take the lead in an emergency situation is key in creating a culture where students take safety seriously. We are truly honored and excited today to be the first school in Ingham County to be recognized as a MI HeartSafe School.
Between 1999 and 2009 in Michigan, there were 3,134 young individuals between 1 and 39 years of age who died of sudden cardiac death. Of those, 246 were between 5 and 19 years of age. In its fourth year, the MI HEARTSafe School designation recognizes the 369 school buildings that have now taken steps above and beyond to prepare to respond in the event of a cardiac emergency.
“Sudden cardiac death of a young person is tragic and some of these events can be prevented with fast, appropriate medical response within three to five minutes” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive of MDHHS. “It is always wonderful to see communities come together to help prepare school to respond to these medical emergencies.”
Public Act 12 of 2014 requires all schools (grades kindergarten to 12) to have a cardiac emergency response plan in place. Lansing Christian School currently has an existing cardiac emergency response plan and has taken additional steps to be prepared for a cardiac emergency.
“We are so proud to support Michigan’s HEARTSafe schools,” said State Superintendent Brian Whiston. “Ensuring schools are prepared for sudden cardiac emergencies through planning, training, and life-saving AEDs is an important part of having safer learning environments for students, staff, and the community.”
In order for a school to receive a MI HEARTSafe designation, it must perform at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year; have a written medical emergency response plan and team; have current CPR/AED certification of at least 10 percent of staff; have accessible, properly maintained and inspected AEDs with signs identifying their location; and ensure pre-participation sports screening of all student athletes using the current physical and history form endorsed by the MHSAA.
The MI HEARTSafe School designation lasts for three years, and this year, 22 schools received their second MI HEARTSafe award. In the first three years of the initiative, 266 schools were designated as MI HEARTSafe Schools and thus better prepared to help reduce the number of sudden cardiac deaths in our youth.
For the list of designated schools, visithttps://migrc.org/Library/HeartSafeSpotlight.html.
For more information about the MI HEARTSafe Schools program, visitwww.migrc.org/miheartsafe or email MDHHS-MI-HEARTSafe@michigan.gov.
For more information about Lansing Christian School, visitwww.lansingchristianschool.org.
SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE
