State recognizes 40 'heart safe' schools

LANSING, Mich. – All Michigan schools are required to have a cardiac emergency plan in place by July 1, but today the state is recognizing schools that have already gone beyond that basic requirement.

Michigan's Departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Education (MDE), the Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (MAP-SCDY) and the American Heart Association (AHA) honored 40 schools and academic institutions with a brand new title: MI HEARTSafe.

The designation is intended to recognize schools that are well-equipped and possess the ability to deal with cardiac emergencies.

In order to qualify, schools must perform at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year, have a written medical emergency response plan and team, have current CPR/defibrillator certification of at least 10 percent of staff; have accessible, properly maintained and inspected defibrillators with signs identifying their location and ensure pre-participation physicals of all student athletes.

The MI HEARTSafe School designation is awarded for a 3-year-period.

The goal is to reduce the number of sudden cardiac deaths in schools. Between 1999 and 2009 in Michigan, 3,134 children and young adults suffered a sudden cardiac death.

For more information about the MI HEARTSafe Schools program, click here.

The 40 schools to receive the MI HEARTSafe Schools designation are:

• Van Buren ISD Behavioral Education Center in Bangor, Mich.
  
• Cass City Elementary in Cass City, Mich.
• Cass City Junior/Senior High School in Cass City, Mich.
• Cedar Springs High School in Cedar Springs, Mich.
• Lutz School in Clinton Township, Mich.
• Waldron Learning Center in Coldwater, Mich.
• Dowagiac Union High School in Dowagiac, Mich.
• Fennville Elementary School in Fennville, Mich.
• Fennville Middle School in Fennville, Mich.
• Fennville High School in Fennville, Mich.
• Innovation Central High School in Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Kent Career Technical Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Kent Transition Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Kent Vocational Options in Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Northwest Education Center in Jackson, Mich.
• Northwest Elementary in Jackson, Mich.
• Northwest High School in Jackson, Mich.
• Northwest Operations Building in Jackson, Mich.
• Parnall Elementary in Jackson, Mich.
• RW Kidder Middle School in Jackson, Mich.
• Van Buren ISD-Bert Goens Learning Center in Lawrence, Mich.
• Van Buren Technology Center in Lawrence, Mich.
• Argentine Elementary/Early Childhood Center in Linden, Mich.
• Central Elementary School in Linden, Mich.
• Hyatt Elementary in Linden, Mich.
• Linden Elementary in Linden, Mich.
• Linden Middle School in Linden, Mich.
• Linden High School in Linden, Mich.
• VBISD Community-Based Transition Center in Paw Paw, Mich.
• Rudyard Elementary School in Rudyard, Mich.
• Rudyard High/Middle School in Rudyard, Mich.
• White Pine Middle School in Saginaw, Mich.
• Lincoln Elementary in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
• Malcolm High School in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
• Sault Area High School and Career Center in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
• Sault Area Middle School in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
• Soo Township Elementary in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
• Washington Elementary in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
• Traverse City Central High School in Traverse City, Mich.
• Jean and Samuel Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield, Mich.