Project ADAM

There are approximately 350,000 sudden cardiac deaths in the United States each year. As many as 23,000 of these tragedies occur in children or adolescents. On any given day, approximately 20% of a community’s population is on a school campus, and because sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death on school campuses, a focused effort on SCA preparedness in schools is critical to protect the children, teachers, staff and visitors in our school communities.

A school with a Heart Safe School designation follows a nationwide standard of best practices to ensure the school is ready to respond quickly and appropriately to a cardiac emergency. The 14-step Project ADAM Checklist [PDF] not only confirms proper placement of AEDs on campus, but also establishes a proper ratio of trained CPR/AED personnel to school population. This planning and preparation process culminates with implementing this plan during a CPR/AED drill.