Children’s Minnesota starts Project ADAM Minnesota to help prepare schools to respond in the event of a cardiac arrest
Did you know? According to the latest national statistics, there are more than 360,000 children and adults in the United States that experience sudden cardiac arrest every year, with most of them happening outside of a hospital. Plus, the numbers of young athletes who suffer sudden cardiac arrest while participating in sports have gone up as well.
These numbers are scary. That’s why we, at Children’s Minnesota, recently established Project ADAM Minnesota.
What is Project ADAM?
Project ADAM is a national program which strives to assist schools and communities in establishing a practiced plan to respond to a sudden cardiac arrest. Project ADAM has saved the lives of more than over 300 children, adolescents and adults who went into sudden cardiac arrest.
Children’s Minnesota started Project ADAM Minnesota in 2021. The mission is to serve children and adolescents through education in the deployment of life-saving programs helping prevent sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death within Minnesota schools.
How does Project ADAM Minnesota work?
Project ADAM Minnesota provides individual consultation on the prevention of sudden cardiac death in school settings. Consultations are provided free of charge to all Minnesota schools, made possible by the generous support of the Children’s Heart Clinic and Children’s Minnesota.
How Project ADAM Minnesota helps create heart-safe schools
Project ADAM Minnesota team members guide schools through the key steps needed to become a heart-safe school, providing hands-on support and partnership throughout the process, including:
- Free on-site consultation and partnership!
- Emergency action planning: Provide comprehensive step-by-step instructions on how to create and implement a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP).
- Team building & coordination: Establish on-campus emergency response team educated to recognize a cardiac event, how to respond and perform life saving measures.
- Equipment placement & maintenance: Assist in identifying optimal locations and numbers of AED’s on campus. Provide instruction for equipment maintenance.
- Simulated practice (mock drills): Conduct on-site simulated mock drills with resuscitation scenarios to ensure preparedness for recognizing and responding to an emergency.
Once all these steps are completed, you will receive a Project ADAM Heart Safe School designation, joining many other schools nationally. In addition to the peace of mind you will receive knowing your school is well prepared to respond to a cardiac arrest at your facility, you will also receive a banner of recognition for your achievement, which can proudly be displayed in your school.
Connect with Project ADAM Minnesota
If you are interested in partnering with Project ADAM Minnesota please contact us at: [email protected] or [email protected].
Project ADAM Minnesota leaders:
- Andrew Schneider, MD, is the program director.
- Terasa Smith, RCIS, BHA, is the program coordinator.
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