The North Bend Eagle

 

Members of NBE’s rapid response team perform CPR on a dummy during a drill last week. School staffers attended to the “victim” until first responders from NBVFD arrived.

NBE passes test to earn 'heart safe' label

by Nathan Arneal
Published 4/3/24

Last Tuesday the rapid response team was called into action at North Bend Central Elementary school and a 911 call went out to the North Bend Volunteer Fire Department.

Thankfully, it was just a drill. Everyone was safe and now the school is more prepared for dealing with a student undergoing sudden cardiac arrest. With the successful completion of the drill under the watchful eye of an observer from Children’s Hospital, NBE was designated a Heart Safe School.

School nurse Beth Vrana arranged the drill. Though there were a few details that need to be ironed out, the exercise was successful.

“I thought it went very well,” Vrana said. “I felt like we were prepared.”

Staff members did not know where or what time the drill would commence, but then para Amy Voss came upon a CPR dummy in the gym portraying a fourth grade student.

That sent things into action. Voss initiated an all-call announcement over school speakers calling for the rapid response team to meet in the gym.

The rapid response team has been in place for several years, made up of staff members who volunteer to take part. They undergo CPR training and discuss plans for various emergencies the school could encounter. There are various roles that need to be filled in an emergency and each member of the team can fill any of the roles.

Maintenance man Galen Uhing began CPR compressions on the “victim,” while fourth grade teacher Jana Post began taking notes on the timeline: what time the student was found, when CPR began, etc.
When Uhing began to tire from the compressions, another member of the team took his spot. Meanwhile, Voss called 911 and the North Bend Rescue Squad, who was in on the drill, was alerted.

When the NBVFD rescue unit showed up minutes later, they took over care of the “victim” and took down information on the fictional student.

When it came time to load the victim into the rescue squad, the drill ended.

Kim Castellano of Children’s Hospital is the coordinator of Project ADAM, a program that focuses on making sure schools are prepared for dealing with a sudden cardiac arrest to students, staff members or anyone else in the school building. She observed Tuesday’s drill and awarded NBE the Heart Safe designation.

 

Read the full story in the print or e-edition.

<<Back to the front page