A response team made of teachers, coaches, administrators and support staff at Fort Frye Local Schools is trained and ready to take potentially life-saving action should a sudden cardiac arrest occur. They are a “heart-safe” school system, as designated by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Project ADAM, after acquiring more automated external defibrillators, training staff and establishing rapid-response protocols.

“We worked together … and went over how to respond and what to do in situations like this, and the locations of the AEDs … so that way, if ever I’m not there … they feel confident of how to respond,” said school nurse Lacey Wickham.

The project was inspired by a student who collapsed during a basketball game and died. Project ADAM organizers believe if there had been access to an AED within the first few minutes, that students might have lived.

Fort Frye’s rural nature makes it even more important to have trained people and the proper equipment on hand, when emergency response times can be longer.

“Fort Frye shows a lot of initiative in its wellness and safety program,” Superintendent Stephanie Starcher said. “This allows every one of our schools to have a very thorough plan for addressing sudden cardiac arrest. All of our schools and athletic complexes are equipped with AEDs.”

That’s a comfort, and a tribute to those willing to take part in the training to bring Project ADAM to Fort Frye. Well done, folks.