By Nick Buglione and Cindy Roth
Each of the nine institutions in the East Meadow School District now have at least one automated external defibrillator (AED) on the premises, according to Assistant Superintendent Leon Campo.
"There's at least one in every school and some have more depending on size," Campo said. "There are two to three at East Meadow High School and two to three at Clarke."
It cost more than $30,000 to purchase the new equipment, which was funded exclusively through a $25,000 grant from state Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) and contributions from various community organizations, including the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, East Meadow Kiwanis and the East Meadow Fire Department.
"That was very fortuitous," Campo said. "We really have to thank the community for providing the funding at a very crucial time because our budget did not carry sums for this."
Enacted by the state Legislature in May, the law requires every school building to have an AED, and each district must provide at least one staff person who is trained in the operation and use of an AED at school-sponsored and extracurricular events.
The law was set to go into effect Sept. 1, but the date was extended to allow schools time to plan for training and the expense for the unfunded state mandate. Defibrillators can cost anywhere between $1,800 and $3,500.
"Right now, we're busy training our staff first then we will train volunteers, because a number of parents have expressed that they want to be trained," Campo said.
The New York State United Teachers association lobbied for the law's passage at the urging of a Port Jervis fifth-grade teacher who lost her son in Dec. 2000 when he collapsed and died during a basketball game. The nearest hospital was 25 miles away.
American Heart Association Regional Director Diana Barrett said placing AEDs in schools helps to strengthen the chain of survival, which is a four-step process to help save lives. Link one is early access, two is early CPR, three is early defibrillation and four is early advanced care.
"The AED in schools law has brought about a systemic change in the school setting," said Barrett. "Schools are not only educational centers, but they serve as community centers for children and adults, young and old, many of whom are already at risk for sudden cardiac arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies.
"The emphasis on placement of AEDs in schools has brought about a tremendous awareness to all generations who are re-discovering the importance of a strong chain of survival, not only in their school community, but in the community that surrounds them."
According to Barrett, three lives on Long Island have been saved in the past year as a result of the AED in schools initiative.
State Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach), writer of the law, said he as seen people die before him as a former cop, teacher and coach, and said the activation of the law expands the use of technology and will save people's lives.
"We are expanding and using technology to save people's lives," said Weisenberg. "I feel very good about the law. We're presenting a safer environment for children, parents and grandparents who use our school facilities. According to the American Heart Association 250,000 people a year have heart seizures. Forty thousand people will now live because of defibrillator access."
Defibrillators work by giving the heart a controlled electric shock, forcing its muscles to contract and beat back into a regular rhythm, if all goes well.
At one time, only medical professionals were able to operate the machines and interpret the heart rhythm readings. AEDs, however, use computer chips that instantly and accurately analyze all readings, so laymen can operate them.
