The American Heart Association (AHA) is collaborating with school districts across the country to establish Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs) as part of its Nation of Lifesavers™ initiative. This effort aims to convert bystanders into lifesavers and significantly improve survival rates for cardiac arrest cases outside hospitals.
In a significant move for Texas education, Dr. Joe Harrington, Superintendent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District (HEB ISD) and co-chair of the AHA’s Nation of Lifesavers Committee, has introduced a district-wide CERP. HEB ISD, with its over 22,000 students, is the largest Texas district to partner with the AHA on this initiative.
Cardiac arrest affects approximately 23,000 children under 18 annually, with 40% of these incidents linked to sports activities. Immediate CPR can double or triple survival chances. While Texas mandates CPR training for graduation, some states lack requirements for comprehensive, regularly updated emergency response plans for cardiac incidents.
“HEB ISD remains dedicated to the safety of our students, staff, and community and is proud to be a District of Lifesavers,” said Dr. Harrington. “Implementing a CERP that enables quick and effective action during cardiac emergencies is crucial. We hope to inspire other districts across Texas to adopt similar plans in collaboration with the American Heart Association.”
Dr. Harrington, alongside District Coordinator of Health Services Joy Keohane and Director of Athletics Mike Fielder, established a Cardiac Emergency Response Team. Keohane leads the team, working with nurses and administrators at each of the district’s 30 campuses to implement and annually review the CERP.
The district’s plan includes:
- Providing digital maps to local EMS for faster response times
- Displaying relevant video content on the Texas Health Jumbotron at football games
- Increasing the number of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) on campuses
- Partnering with the AHA and Project Adam to maintain and update the plan and equipment
- Enhancing curriculum to exceed Texas CPR requirements with additional Hands-Only CPR exposure in elementary and junior high schools
- Boosting participation in the Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge programs, with 70% of elementary schools participating this year, up from 43% the previous year
- Collaborating with local organizations like Texas Health HEB for Hands-Only CPR training support
- Conducting CPR and AED drills with staff and students at all campuses
- Sharing the CERP and conducting Hands-Only CPR demonstrations during district development days
- Including checklists in all classrooms to support the initiative
The Tarrant County AHA team awarded HEB ISD seven Anywhere CPR and First Aid Kits to support their efforts. This initiative aims to enhance community health, improve family communication on heart health, and boost cardiac response effectiveness among district faculty, staff, students, and the community.
For districts interested in connecting with the AHA’s North Texas team, contact Jenny Ever, VP of Health Strategies, at jenny.eyer@heart.org, or follow @AmericanHeartTX on Instagram, Facebook, and X. To get involved with the Nation of Lifesavers™ initiative, visit yourethecure.org/nationoflifesavers or text LIFESAVERS to 46839.
