School Safety Designation

Schools across the state have until April 1st to apply for the new MI HEARTsafe Schools designation. In order to qualify a school has to perform at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year; have a written medical emergency response plan and at least ten-percent of a school’s staff must have current CPR/AED certification. Schools also must have accessible, properly maintained and inspected automated external defibrillators (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 Michigan High School Athletic Association. Between 1999 and 2009 in Michigan, there were 3,134 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.