The story is becoming all too familiar — student collapses due to heart condition, dies because school is not properly equipped to handle the situation.
Most cases seem to happen during athletic events, but the danger also looms within the halls of the school itself.
Researchers estimate that one in 200,000 children will have an episode of sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to The Jacksonville News. The American Heart Association claims that 5,000–7,000 children and 5,000-7,000 infants die of SCD each year, The Jacksonville News reported.
Because of the potential threat on a student’s life, a federal act promoting the use of automatic external defibrillators in schools became law July 21.
The new law is called the Adam Act, according to the Associated Press (AP). It is named after 17-year-old Adam Lemel of Wisconsin who died during a 1999 basketball game after collapsing from an undetected heart condition.
The act establishes a national resource center to help schools set up public access defibrillation programs, AP reported. It also helps schools receive training and look for ways to raise money for the defibrillators.
Alabama schools are steadily receiving defibrillators and training staff and teachers to use them. And some Alabama Baptists are already considering funding defibrillators as one more type of ministry and another way to reach out to the state’s schools.
Baptist Health Foundation (BHF) jumped at the opportunity to help Rudd Middle School in Pinson get the $2,000 apparatus before school began Aug. 6.
Rudd principal Jackie Dye and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) stepped up their pursuit of acquiring a defibrillator when they learned that a Rudd student was diagnosed with a serious heart condition.
George Ruff, president of BHF, said he gladly joined with Lord Josiah Wedgwood Charities, Medtronics Lifepack AED and Stop Heart Attack Dot Com to purchase the defibrillator for Rudd.
“It is our goal to put these everywhere we can, especially in churches and in schools,” Ruff said. “We knew this was a need the foundation could meet.”
Rudd’s defibrillator will be kept in the office and checked out for athletic events and competitions as needed, Dye said. Several teachers have been trained in its use and are seeking certification, she noted.
When Dye received the machine, she said, “I walked … to football practice and handed it to the coach. He took it, sighed and said, ‘I am so thankful that we have this.’
“I watched the boys practice for a few minutes and then walked back down the hill thinking to myself, ‘I am so thankful that we have it too,’” Dye said.
At Mortimer Jordan School in Morris a defibrillator saved the life of a 13-year-old Alabama Baptist in February.
Matt Bradford’s heart stopped at school and he was deprived of oxygen for 20 minutes.
Bonnie Bradford, Matt’s mother, said Matt had never shown any signs of heart trouble and he had always played organized sports. “If [Mortimer Jordan] had not had the defibrillator, Matt would not be with us today,” she said.
The Bradfords, who are members of Central Baptist Church, Gardendale, are now strong proponents of placing defibrillators in schools.
“We have also talked with our pastor about the importance of placing them in our churches,” Bonnie Bradford said. “You never know what can happen. In addition, our larger schools need more than one because time is critical.”
BHF officials hope to be one group that helps fill schools with the important machines, said Paul Lawson, vice president of BHF.
“The foundation is seeking to place 10 to 20 defibrillators in area churches and schools this year and hopes to do the same next year,” he said.
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