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Tredyffrin‑Easttown reports districtwide cardiac emergency response teams and Youth Heart Watch certifications
Summary
Board members reported that TE school district staff have trained more than 120 personnel in CPR/AED procedures, each school now holds Youth Heart Watch certification, and drills aim to deliver a first shock within three minutes; the program was developed with CHOP and Project ADAM.
Board members on April 28 highlighted the district’s implementation of Cardiac Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and its partnership with Youth Heart Watch (YHW), an affiliate of Project ADAM and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Vice chair Susan Audrain and committee members described a multi‑year effort led by school nurses Leanne Kory and Erin McHale to train staff. They reported more than 10 training sessions over two years that certified over 120 district personnel as CPR instructors and CERT responders. TE Middle School achieved the first Youth Heart Watch heart‑safe school certification in Chester County in April 2024, and the district said all schools now hold the certification.
The CERT program includes AED placement in each school, regular announced and unannounced drills (three to four per school per year), and post‑drill reviews that track response times and identify opportunities for improvement. The stated goal is to have an AED on scene and deliver a first shock within three minutes of an event.
Board members commended the staff for the program and credited collaboration with the district physician, local EMS leadership and CHOP. The district said it will continue training and data collection to improve response speed and procedures.
