Michigan Recognizes 40 Schools Prepared for Cardiac Emergencies

Michigan Recognizes 40 Schools Prepared for Cardiac Emergencies
Contact: Angela Minicuci (517) 241-2112

For Immediate Release: May 20, 2014

LANSING, Mich. – For the first time, the Michigan Departments of Community Health (MDCH),
Education (MDE), Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (MAP-
SCDY) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have awarded 40 schools in Michigan with the
new MI HEARTSafe School designation which recognizes schools that are prepared to respond to
cardiac emergencies.
Between 1999 and 2009 in Michigan, there were 3,134 young 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.
Governor Rick Snyder, MDCH, MDE, MAP-SCDY, AHA, and many community partners are
committed to reducing the number of sudden cardiac death in our youth. The recognition of the first
MI HEARTSafe Schools is another forward step in the effort to do so.
Public Act 12 of 2014 requires all schools (grades kindergarten to 12) to have a cardiac emergency
response plan in place by July 1, 2014. Michigan schools that already have an existing cardiac
emergency response plan and have taken additional steps to be prepared for a cardiac emergency
applied for the new MI HEARTSafe Schools designation beginning in November 2013. This
designation recognizes those first 40 schools that have taken steps above and beyond to prepare to
respond in the event of a cardiac emergency, and is awarded for a period of three years.
The 40 schools being awarded the three year MI HEARTSafe School designation are (alphabetical
by city):
 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
 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.
In order for a school to receive a MI HEARTSafe designation, it must perform at least one cardiac
emergency response drill per year; have a written medical emergency response plan and team;
have current CPR/AED certification of at least 10 percent of staff; have accessible, properly
maintained and inspected 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.
Schools that meet all of the requirements will be able to apply for the MI HEARTSafe School
designation each year. For more information about the MI HEARTSafe Schools program,
visit www.migrc.org/miheartsafe.
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