Project ADAM Indiana is committed to assisting schools in becoming a Heart Safe School by providing tools, resources and guidance to minimize the risk of sudden cardiac death. Assistance is provided through school consultation delivering one-on-one support from initial discussion through each designation as a Heart Safe school.
Project ADAM
Project ADAM
Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory) is a national organization with the goal of saving lives through advocacy, education, preparedness and collaboration to prevent sudden cardiac death. Project ADAM started in 1999 in memory of 17-year-old Adam Lemel, who collapsed and died while playing basketball.
Riley Children's Health is an affiliate program of Project ADAM with a focus on prevention, training and education so Indiana schools and communities can be prepared and equipped for a sudden cardiac arrest
What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is often due to an electrical problem with the heart causing an irregular heart rhythm. This then causes the heart to beat ineffectively and eventually leads the heart to stop beating.
- SCA occurs suddenly and often without warning. Within seconds someone loses consciousness, has no pulse and is not breathing or is only gasping for air.
- Every second counts with SCA and is often fatal if immediate steps are not taken within minutes. Some of the immediate steps to take are:
- Call 911
- Start Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Get an Automated External defibrillator (AED) if available.
- There are more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year with nearly 90% resulting in death. (Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation)
- There is an estimated 7,037 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests among children younger than 18 years old (Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation)
Project ADAM Heart Safe School
Project ADAM Heart Safe School
A school designated as a Project ADAM Heart safe school has successfully implemented the following to prepare and respond to a sudden cardiac arrest to increase the potential of saving the life of a student, staff, or visitor:
- Awareness and education on sudden cardiac event
- CPR/AED training
- Written Cardiac Emergency Response Plan reviewed annually
- Cardiac Emergency Response Plan and AED Practice Drills annually
- AEDs throughout the school campus that are accessible and maintained
For more information on how your school can be designated as a Heart Safe School, please contact projectadam@iuhealth.org
Resources
Related Stories
- Saving kids who suffer sudden cardiac arrest – June 2, 2021 the first school in Indiana receives Heart Safe designation
- Indiana schools team up with Riley Hospital for Children to become "heart safe" – August 27, 2021 bringing awareness to school becoming Heart Safe
- Cathedral works with Riley to become a Heart Safe School – January 24, 2022 the first school in the Indianapolis area to receive Heart Safe designation.