Schools are responsible for the safety of hundreds or even thousands of students and staff every day. Yet many schools rely solely on the school nurse — who may be shared among multiple buildings — as their only CPR-trained responder.
The Reality of School Emergencies
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can strike anyone at any age. While rare in children, it does happen — particularly during physical activity. According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, SCA is the leading cause of death in young athletes during exercise.
Response Time Matters
When someone goes into cardiac arrest, brain damage begins in 4-6 minutes. Death follows in 8-10 minutes. The average EMS response time in Chicago is 6-8 minutes — and that's from the time the call is placed, not from the time the person collapses.
If a teacher, coach, or aide can begin CPR and apply an AED within the first 2-3 minutes, survival rates jump from under 10% to over 50%.
Making It Practical
The biggest barrier to training all school staff is scheduling. You can't shut down a school for a day of CPR training. That's where onsite training makes the difference. At Chicago's Pulse, we come to your school and train staff in groups during planning periods, after school hours, or on professional development days. We can certify your entire staff in AHA CPR/AED in just a few sessions.
Take Action
Don't wait for an emergency to expose a gap in your school's safety plan. Contact Chicago's Pulse at 773-445-2277 to schedule onsite CPR/AED training for your school staff.