Emergency techniques essential for Health

Seizures. Fatal allergic reactions. Cardiac arrests. These are among a parent's worst nightmares, yet they occur almost every day. We must be prepared to handle these medical emergencies where children are most likely to be: school.

Maryland schools need to incorporate practical, hands-on training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) operating, automatic external defibrillators (AED) and general first-aid to strengthen the health curriculum and teach students life-long skills useful in the real world. If all students and not just select individuals were trained in responding to medical emergencies, there would be a greater likelihood of preventing severe injuries and death.

The Maryland General Assembly has recently passed HB1200, a bill that requires AEDs – portable electronic devices that deliver an electrical shock to reestablish a patient's heart rhythm – at all Maryland high schools and sporting events. This new law is effective July 1, 2006. HB1200 is informally known as "Andrew's Law" in memory of former Blair senior Andrew Helgeson, who passed away last May from sudden cardiac arrest. Although HB1200 passed with overwhelming support, Maryland State Senator Sharon Grosfeld and the Helgesons believe that it is just the first step towards increasing health awareness and argue that all schools must implement thorough first aid programs.

The current semester-long health course in Maryland high schools leaves students uninformed about first-aid techniques. Blair offers a Sports Medicine elective course that teaches first-aid and CPR training, but having this course as a mere elective is not enough. In comparison, New York schools require that all students receive a course on the use of CPR and AEDs before they receive their diplomas. Maryland schools need to follow this example.

Our schools need to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the hundreds, or in Blair's case, the thousands of students each day. In addition to a full academic school day, many students participate in sports and other extracurricular activities, increasing the time frame for life-threatening injuries to occur at school. These injuries can be the result of preexisting health problems, violence or events as unforeseen as sudden cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest is treatable through both CPR and an AED. In a real-life scenario, this shock has to come from someone nearby, since every minute spent in cardiac arrest diminishes chances of survival by 10 percent according to the American Heart Association. By the time the paramedics arrive six to 12 minutes later, severe brain damage will be too far underway; these victims often die tragically before any real action is taken. But administering immediate CPR and an AED can prevent this.

Making every student capable of performing CPR and legally using an AED in the critical minutes before paramedics come could mean the difference between life and death. Through CPR and AED certification, students can respond to medical emergencies and make school safer for everyone.

The training for this certification can come fairly easily. Senior Neil Flannery, a CPR-certified technician, attested to the simplicity in mastering CPR from his own experiences in a six-hour, one-day basic life support course with the Prince George's County Fire Department. AED training is even simpler; elementary school students are capable of mastering the techniques, according to Grosfeld.

Health organizations across the country want increased health awareness, especially at schools. In the 2001 Guidelines for Emergency Medical Care in School, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that schools prepare students to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies. Volunteer emergency medical technicians are also willing to assist in teaching students these straightforward techniques, leaving no excuse for schools not to teach them in health class.

Schools need to take the initiative and implement this first-aid course for everyone's safety, and ultimately, as an enhanced security measure. Health class needs to own up to its name. And it would be a wonderful change for students to know that, in case of an emergency, their lives would be safe in the hands of the person standing right next to them.