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DCS First Responder Teams and AED Program

Dexter Community Schools has a trained First Responder team in every building.

First Responder Team members are trained and certified in CPR / AED (cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automatic external defibrillator use) and First Aid.

There are at least 5 FRT members trained in every building and 10 at the High School.   FRT staff receive annual training and recertification.

Members of the First Responder Teams are teachers, counselors, social workers, secretaries, and para pros, who have volunteered for this service. They are our staff in action. Staff who serve on the First Responder Teams are from different areas in the buildings ie. different hallways as well as different levels in multi- level buildings, so no matter where an emergency occurs, someone is able to respond quickly.

The teams are on call to assist in medical emergencies until the school nurse and / or EMS arrives to take over.   Because they are building based the FRT members are on the scene of a medical emergency in less than a minute.   In cases where 911 is needed the FRT are paged simultaneously with the call to 911.

The FRT are also trained to respond to cardiac emergencies.   There were over 29 cardiac emergencies in Michigan schools in recent years.   Being prepared in the event one happens in our school buildings is of utmost importance. Having First Responder Teams and AED's (Automatic External Defibrillators) in every building is part of an effective response to cardiac emergencies.

AED's are becoming common place in schools around the State, but acquiring an AED for a school building does not mean that an effective program is in place or that the AED will be used in an effective or efficient manner in the case of an Emergency.

A successful program has many components including a program coordinator, medical director, policies and procedures, coordination with local EMS, overall staff awareness, a trained response team, regular equipment maintenance checks and regular drills.    All components are needed for an effective response. In the DCS we are lucky to have a comprehensive program in place.

In a cardiac emergency such as sudden cardiac arrest, time is of the essence.    Early recognition of the emergency, early CPR, early defibrillation, and early EMS intervention is needed to increase the chance of survival of the victim. Conducting AED drills has helped FRT members to refine both their skills and response time, and pinpoint things that need to be changed to provide an effective and timely response.

Drills are conducted biannually, and have been conducted in hallways, cafeterias, gyms, classrooms, on the playground, in the pool area, in fact anywhere and everywhere an emergency might occur.

Dexter Community Schools has been on the forefront of implementing first responder teams and conducting AED drills in Michigan Schools.    Data collected from our drills is being used to encourage all school districts to implement AED drills.

At this point in time there are no State requirements for AED drills, but as of 2006, Michigan AED Drill Weeks has been implemented. This is a program to promote voluntary drills twice a year in school buildings .

Our FRT hope they never have to use these skills, but if they do they will be prepared.   According to Nancy Dufor of the American Heart Association the survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest is 5 - 6%, however where good first responder programs are in place the survival rate increases to 65%.

Both the American Heart Association, and The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend these types of drills in the school setting.   The importance of well trained first responder teams, conducting AED drills and being prepared for an emergency cannot be emphasized enough.

In the Dexter Schools we are lucky to have a dedicated and committed group of staff in every building serving on our First Responder Teams.