By Panhandle Public Health District
Panhandle Public Health District in collaboration with Children's Nebraska, announced it has received a Heart Safe designation through Project ADAM. This program ensures schools and organizations have automated defibrillator (AED) equipment, response training and advanced emergency preparedness procedures in the event of an onsite Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
Children's Project ADAM program partners with schools and organizations statewide to encourage preparedness for emergent situations and save lives.
“We are excited to be recognized as a Heart Safe organization,” said Myrranda Kelley, RN, Public Health Nurse at PPHD.
Kelley added, “It reflects our commitment to creating a safe environment for our workplace and community. Having education and equipment in place is most important when every second counts. Through this partnership we have received the Avive Connect AED machine, it is state-of-the-art equipment and has set the bar high for future AEDs—PPHD is fortunate to have it.”
Kelley is the Lead Site Champion for the Heart Safe Project, PPHD has implemented a Certified Emergency Response Plan for lifesaving resources and training. Part of their plan is to have a Certified Emergency Response Team and keep their staff prepared with annual AED trainings, drills and staying up to date on CPR. This speaks to PPHD’s commitment to readiness, education and lifesaving action in an emergency.
Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory) was named for Adam Lemel, a 17-year-old Wisconsin teenager who suffered a fatal sudden cardiac arrest in 1999 while playing basketball at school. Access to an AED and immediate care could have saved Adam's life.
Project ADAM's Heart Safe School program ensures schools and organizations have well-maintained AEDs available on site, CPR and AED-trained staff and a practiced emergency plan to respond to a collapse, giving staff and community visitors the best possible chance to survive an unexpected cardiac event.
According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, and approximately 10 percent survive. Since 1999, more than 4,000 schools and organizations across the country have achieved a Heart Safe designation.
Learn more about Children's Project ADAM program at https://www.childrensnebraska.org/projectadam and the national Project ADAM program at ProjectADAM.com. For more information visit pphd.ne.gov or call 308-633-2866.
Panhandle Public Health District is working together to improve the health, safety and quality of life for all who live, learn, work and play in the Panhandle. Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle community.