Jackson school personnel trained to use defibrillators

JACKSON — A piece of lifesaving equipment is valuable only if people know how to use it.

To ensure Jackson school district staff members are capable of using new defibrillators that were donated by the Jackson Rotary this summer, key staff trained recently on how to use the machines to save someone’s life.

"The importance of what we were doing really started to hit home when I thought that any one of the scenarios that the instructors discussed could happen during any given day at school," said Jackson Memorial High School Assistant Principal Daniel McDevitt. "I always hope that such an instance will never occur, but since participating in this training program, I now feel more confident that I can make a significant difference to someone in need."

"The Jackson school district is really ahead of the game," said Rob Morello, one of the LifeForce USA trainers who spent three days training various staff members on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use the defibrillators. "Not a lot of school districts are doing this yet, even though it is so important for people in schools to know these skills."

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Gialanella said representatives from each of the district’s nine schools took the four-hour training session.

"The Jackson Rotary was kind enough to take on a drive to raise the money for these lifesaving machines and we wanted to make sure we have people in every building who are qualified to use them if necessary," Gialanella said. "We hope we never have to use them, but if we do we want to be ready."

Administrators, physical education teachers, security guards, custodians and teachers were among the staff members trained by representatives of LifeForce USA during the sessions held on Dec. 9, 10 and 11. Those staff members are now certified to perform CPR and use the automatic defibrillators.

"Whether it is during the school day or at a community event in the evening, there is always a member of the district staff on hand," said Pamela Barth, the district’s nursing coordinator. "We want to train a cross-section of staff members so there are a few people in each building who are qualified to use these machines."

Jackson Memorial High School Principal Linda Jewell said she is grateful for the peace of mind that comes with having the potentially lifesaving equipment in her school.

"From my heart I would just like to say thank you to the members of the Jackson Rotary and to all the people who made donations," said Jewell. "Every day when I see the equipment in our main office, I am thankful for the generosity that has made us all just a little more comfortable."

Jewell said having the equipment on hand at a school that educates more than 2,700 students and is the most popular site for concerts, plays and community events is key.

"I have what amounts to a small city that arrives every day," Jewell said. "I now have a greater sense of peace knowing that this equipment is available and that we will have a number of people throughout all areas of the building who will be trained on how to use it properly."

According to a press release, the Jackson Rotary Club placed the defibrillators in every district school this year following a fund-raising drive this summer. With a price tag of about $2,000 each, the donation gives the district a valuable life saving tool without having to incur the expense.

"This is the largest project the Rotary Club has ever undertaken," said Rotary Club President Tom Barchie. "When we started it, we thought we could get three for the schools initially and then keep the project going until we raised enough for all the schools. But when it was all done, we’d raised enough to do all the schools in Jackson, including St. Aloysius."

Barchie said the project fits into the Rotary Club’s theme this year of "Lend a Hand."

"This fund-raiser was a group effort and we’re proud that the residents of Jackson helped us provide this equip­ment."