Tates Creek High is Fayette's First ‘Heart Safe’ School

By acing a surprise test, Tates Creek High School became the first “Heart Safe” school in Lexington through Project ADAM, a nationwide initiative to promote cardiac safety in schools.

A team from Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) showed up unannounced to observe the staff’s reaction and response time when a teacher notified the front office of a cardiac emergency. The office staff alerted the administration, law enforcement, and the school’s cardiac response team. Seconds later, the team was using CPR techniques and an AED device on a dummy lying in the hallway. The overall efficiency drew praise from the health professionals.

“Our goal is to have an AED to the victim and a shock delivered within three minutes because with every minute that passes, the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent,” said Annie Sketch with KCH.

The goal is to certify every school in the state. The Heart Safe designation includes placement of AEDs within the school, implementation of a cardiac emergency response plan, AED drills, and education of school staff on the warning signs and prevention of sudden cardiac death.

“When we’re talking about the health and wellness of our young people or any stakeholders in the building, I want to get them the treatment they need as fast as possible,” said Justin Cheatham, head of Tates Creek’s Academy of Business, Entrepreneurship, & Education.

Source: LEX 18; corrected 10/25/23