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About Project Adam
Project Adam began in 1999 after the death of Adam Lemel, a 17-year-old Whitefish Bay, WI, high school student who collapsed and died while playing basketball. Adam suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), in which ventricular fibrillation occurred, a condition in which the ventricles cannot pump blood into the body. An AED could have saved his life.
In the early 2000s, Adam’s story along with similar sudden deaths of seemingly healthy youth launched nationwide and worldwide efforts to increase AED programs in schools.
Today, Project Adam is part of 28 affiliate organizations in 22 states across the country supporting Heart Safe School initiatives. Our program outreach has been responsible for helping save the lives of over 200 youth and adults in schools, making our mission just as critical as it was in 1999.
Our vision is to eradicate sudden cardiac death through school and community infrastructure development supporting prevention initiatives including Heart Safe Schools, advocacy, education and research.
About Project Adam Louisiana
Project Adam Louisiana was established in late 2019 in partnership with Ochsner Hospital for Children. Just as we were working to designate our first heart safe schools, our efforts were put on hold due to COVID 19 pandemic. As schools reopened, Project Adam Louisiana worked to reestablish relationships with schools and were able to designate our first Project Adam Heart Safe School in May 2021.
The first Heart Safe School designation in Louisiana was St. Martin Episcopal School in Jefferson Parish, with Benjamin Franklin High School in Orleans Parish following right behind.
Project Adam Louisiana offers:
- Comprehensive plan loaded with simple tools to aid schools in becoming a Heart Safe School
- Heart Safe School checklist and school site visit to assess AED needs across the school campus
- AHA Heart Saver/BLS Certification or Hands-only CPR training
- Guidance in creating cardiac emergency teams and written Cardiac Emergency Response Plan
- Guided AED drills utilizing real life scenarios and AED trainers
- Guidance for maintaining your school's AEDs
- Annual review of school's Cardiac Emergency Response Plan and drill
- Incident debriefing in the case of a cardiac emergency on the school campus
Heart Safe School Designation
The Project ADAM Heart Safe School (HSS) Designation means that the school has taken all the steps necessary to safeguard the health of students, including making sure AEDs are available and accessible, that there is a written plan and team of CPR/AED trained staff ready to act in an emergency, and conduct emergency response practice drills.
What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating, leading to loss of circulation and loss of consciousness, with no blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. Without immediate life support measures, SCA results in rapid death (Sudden Cardiac Death, or SCD).
There are multiple causes of SCA. The result is a terminal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, which is when the heart cannot pump efficiently due to chaotic electrical activity. However, when treated rapidly with CPR and defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED), normal heart rhythm can often be restored. Cardiac arrest preparedness can save the life of someone suffering a SCA during those critical first few minutes. Every minute counts!
Study after study has demonstrated that the best chance of saving a life is within the first 4 minutes of a SCA. Survival to hospital discharge for SCA in children ages 1 to 12 is 14.4%, and in children ages 13 to 18 it is 19.9%. Every passing minute reduces the chance of survival by 7-10%. Therefore, reducing time to defibrillation will improve survival by 7-10% per minute. Early and effective CPR has been demonstrated to double or triple the chance of SCA survival.
What is an AED?
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device which, when properly applied, automatically diagnoses potentially life-threatening heart rhythms including SCA. Modern AEDs are designed to be used by any motivated bystander, regardless of training. The devices advise the user about how to apply the device and whether or not to administer a shock. Some devices shock automatically if the victim has a fatal heart rhythm.
Training is important, however, particularly since almost all victims also need Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to keep the blood circulating while the AED is being mobilized and to help establish a good heart beat after the AED is used. Most of the time, the AED will advise the user to administer CPR, depending on the needs of the victim, and in these cases it is quite helpful to have CPR training. AEDs have been used successfully by police, firefighters, flight attendants, security guards and lay people.
Survival rates decrease by 10% with each minute of delayed defibrillation.
What does it look like to be cardiac emergency prepared?
Cardiac arrest preparedness in the schools should include:
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training for school staff, teachers, coaches and students
- Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs) to ensure that all staff are able to respond quickly and decisively to a cardiac arrest on the school grounds
- Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to provide rapid defibrillation in the event of sudden cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation, with ongoing maintenance plans and drills
- Drills to enhance staff familiarity, rapid on-site communication and practiced coordination with local Emergency Medical Services
- Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for individual students known to be at risk
How can my school obtain more AEDs in order to become heart safe?
- Contact school board
- Contact local community groups
- Host fundraisers – jean days, raffles, church service collection designated towards AED for school, ect
- Contact alumni for donations
- Firehouse Subs public safety grant Firehouse Grants Application (firehousesubs.com)
- Project Adam is partnered with GotAED to help you get one. Visit the website to set up a crowdfunding campaign. GotAED is dedicated to getting AEDs in places where kids learn and play. In minutes, your campaign will be up and you can begin notifying your network. Once you reach your goal, GotAED ships an AED and cabinet to your doorstep. If you have any questions, contact Jill at jill@simonsheart.org
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