Latest news with #ProjectADAM
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The importance of readiness: AED brings lifesaving access to Miracle Field
Aug. 8—MORGANTOWN — A new automated external defibrillator is now on-site at Miracle Field in Mylan Park thanks to a collaboration between SteppingStones, WVU Medicine Children's Heart Center and Project ADAM. This new addition will bring faster response times in the event of cardiac emergencies at the field, which hosts adaptive baseball games for children and adults with disabilities through the Miracle League. "This is about being prepared for the moment you hope never happens, " said Monica Marietta, executive director of SteppingStones. "We have always had an AED at our facility, but that is across the parking lot. Now, if something happens to an athlete, a coach, a parent or anyone, this AED is right here." The device was contributed through Project AED 365 and coordinated locally through Heartbeats of Hope, the West Virginia affiliate of Project ADAM, located at WVU Medicine Children's. Project ADAM was founded after a teenage athlete named Adam Lemel, a 17-year-old high-schooler from Wisconsin, collapsed and died during a basketball game due to sudden cardiac arrest. His parents later learned he might have survived had an AED been available. Since then, Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory) has helped place AEDs in schools and communities across the country. "The chance of survival goes up dramatically when an AED is used within three minutes, " said Tracy Coup, nurse practitioner and co-coordinator for Project ADAM at WVU Medicine Children's. "You do not know when or where someone might go down. That is why access and training matter." While the initiative does not provide AEDs directly, Project ADAM affiliates like WVU Medicine Children's help connect the community to donors and to guide them through the goal of becoming "Heart Safe." Becoming heart safe does not mean to just have a device on-site, but have trained staff, emergency plans and annual drills. "It is not just about having an AED on the wall, " said Ashley Watson, also a Project ADAM co-coordinator. "People have to know what sudden cardiac arrest looks like, where the AED is, how to use it, and how to respond fast. We work with schools and community sites across West Virginia to build that system." Coup said the team has received 12 "save " reports this school year across the country. This means there are instances where an AED placed through Project ADAM was used and helped save a life during a cardiac emergency. This reflects the importance of readiness, she added. West Virginia law does require that AEDs be present at all school athletic events, and Project ADAM's initiative helps make the process more precise and structured. Going back to Mylan Park, the new AED is part of the border mission of SteppingStones to ensure safety and inclusion. The organization also recently opened an all inclusive playground right next to Miracle Field. "Whether it is a kid with autism or a grandparent cheering from the stands, we want everyone to feel safe and welcome, " she said. Thanks to this project, we are more prepared than ever." For more information about Heartbeats of Hope and Project ADAM training or designation, visit and navigate to the Heartsbeats of Hope page. Solve the daily Crossword
Dominion Post
09-08-2025
- Health
- Dominion Post
The importance of readiness: AED brings lifesaving access to Miracle Field
MORGANTOWN — A new automated external defibrillator is now on-site at Miracle Field in Mylan Park thanks to a collaboration between SteppingStones, WVU Medicine Children's Heart Center and Project ADAM. This new addition will bring faster response times in the event of cardiac emergencies at the field, which hosts adaptive baseball games for children and adults with disabilities through the Miracle League. 'This is about being prepared for the moment you hope never happens,' said Monica Marietta, executive director of SteppingStones. 'We have always had an AED at our facility, but that is across the parking lot. Now, if something happens to an athlete, a coach, a parent or anyone, this AED is right here.' The device was contributed through Project AED 365 and coordinated locally through Heartbeats of Hope, the West Virginia affiliate of Project ADAM, located at WVU Medicine Children's. Project ADAM was founded after a teenage athlete named Adam Lemel, a 17-year-old high-schooler from Wisconsin, collapsed and died during a basketball game due to sudden cardiac arrest. His parents later learned he might have survived had an AED been available. Since then, Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory) has helped place AEDs in schools and communities across the country. 'The chance of survival goes up dramatically when an AED is used within three minutes,' said Tracy Coup, nurse practitioner and co-coordinator for Project ADAM at WVU Medicine Children's. 'You do not know when or where someone might go down. That is why access and training matter.' While the initiative does not provide AEDs directly, Project ADAM affiliates like WVU Medicine Children's help connect the community to donors and to guide them through the goal of becoming 'Heart Safe.' Becoming heart safe does not mean to just have a device on-site, but have trained staff, emergency plans and annual drills. The new automated external defibrillator acquired through Project ADAM and will be located at the Miracle Field at Mylan park in efforts to improve staying prepared. Cassidy Roark/ The Dominion Post 'It is not just about having an AED on the wall,' said Ashley Watson, also a Project ADAM co-coordinator. 'People have to know what sudden cardiac arrest looks like, where the AED is, how to use it, and how to respond fast. We work with schools and community sites across West Virginia to build that system.' Coup said the team has received 12 'save' reports this school year across the country. This means there are instances where an AED placed through Project ADAM was used and helped save a life during a cardiac emergency. This reflects the importance of readiness, she added. West Virginia law does require that AEDs be present at all school athletic events, and Project ADAM's initiative helps make the process more precise and structured. Going back to Mylan Park, the new AED is part of the border mission of SteppingStones to ensure safety and inclusion. The organization also recently opened an all inclusive playground right next to Miracle Field. 'Whether it is a kid with autism or a grandparent cheering from the stands, we want everyone to feel safe and welcome,' she said. Thanks to this project, we are more prepared than ever.' For more information about Heartbeats of Hope and Project ADAM training or designation, visit and navigate to the Heartsbeats of Hope page.
Chicago Tribune
04-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
‘We need an AED!': Porter County goes throught the paces of a cardiac emergency drill
With a cardiac emergency drill performed at the Porter County Administration Building Wednesday morning, the Porter County Health Department became the first Heart Safe health department in Indiana. A little after 10 a.m. the mock emergency began on a dummy lying just inside the double doors to the commissioners chambers. 'Someone grab an AED! We need an AED!' shouted Zac Mago Foundation founder Teresa Mago, as she asked for an automated external defibrillator. 'Nobody touch the patient!' commanded Porter County Emergency Preparedness Coordinator John Pisowicz. 'Did someone call 911?' asked County Councilman Greg Simms, D-3rd. Mago began chest compressions while Pisowicz applied defibrillator patches from the AED kit to the dummy's chest. A health department staffer in pink scrubs stood by the door and asked, 'Does someone want to go out and wait on the ambulance?' Public health nurse Amy Krupa counted for Mago as she performed chest compressions. '28, 29, 30. Good job!' 'Ambulance is here!' someone else called from the rotunda while an automated voice from the AED gave instruction, 'Do not touch the patient. Shock advised. All clear.' Three probationary firefighters from the Valparaiso Fire Department then arrived with a gurney. 'What's going on here?' asked Robert Gutierrez, a probationary firefighter and paramedic. Simms filled them in and the drill soon ended for a debriefing session. 'Great job to everyone involved,' said Tonya Aerts of Legacy Medical Academy, who serves as Project ADAM Indiana program coordinator. Project ADAM is a national effort to raise awareness of cardiac arrest preparedness. The Porter County Health Department said the key to surviving a cardiac event is timely CPR and the use of an AED within three minutes. Calling 911, crowd control and having a cardiac emergency response plan, or CERP, are integral to increasing survival rates. A Project ADAM checklist helps sites prepare by ensuring such steps as clear signage for AED placement, a schedule for AED maintenance, and stocking of a first responder kit. It also offers guidance for developing the CERP, education and drills. Aerts praised the efforts of staff to stand outside and direct first responders when they arrived. 'That's the most critical thing,' she said. 'They might not be familiar with where to go.' To improve the chances for a successful intervention the county has also moved its AEDs to the wall beside the elevator on every floor. There are also 15 people in the building on the county's Cardiac Emergency Response Team, including Simms and Commissioner Barb Regnitz, R-Center. The team was formed in December through Project ADAM and every member is certified in Basic Life Support. 'I think everyone would agree that bystander intervention is critical in a cardiac event,' Aerts said. The drill serves not only as a practice for county government staff within the Administration Building but also as part of a larger societal effort to demystify AEDs and get the public comfortable with the idea of using them. Pisowicz said Porter County has AEDs in 90% of its buildings. 'The machine completely guides you,' he said. 'And not only a professional can use it,' added Porter County nursing supervisor Crystal Coffey. 'We have a tight collaboration with our schools,' she added. 'I think we have eight that are Project ADAM-certified,' she said of Portage Township Schools and Duneland School Corporation. Others eager to be certified are encouraged to call her office. 'We're trying to make that AED as standard as fire extinguishers,' explained Aerts, who said they cost less than a new cell phone.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Project ADAM: How you can use an AED, CPR to save someone's life
MILWAUKEE - Sudden cardiac arrest is always unexpected – especially in children. But training can make all the difference. FOX6 is proud to partner with Project ADAM to enhance heart safety and awareness. Kathleen Nemitz joins FOX6 WakeUp with how you can use an AED and CPR to save someone's life. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android What you can do We invite you to be part of this important initiative. Stay tuned to FOX6 for informational and touching reports on the positive impact Project ADAM is making, as well as updates on upcoming events, training opportunities, and ways you can contribute to making your school and community heart-safe. Together, we can create a safer environment for our children and ensure that every heartbeat counts. Learn more information on Project ADAM and how you can get involved
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Project ADAM: Training saves Milwaukee teacher's life
The Brief Project ADAM was created to combat sudden cardiac arrest using life-saving devices. The use of those devices was inspired by Whitefish Bay's Adam Lemel, who died on a basketball court. Project ADAM now pushes to get AEDs in schools, businesses and anywhere they can make a difference. MILWAUKEE - Every year, hundreds of thousands of cardiac arrests happen – and many are fatal. But training can make all the difference. What we know While Jan. 5, 2024 may not be clear, it's a day Amanda McIlhone will never forget. "I remember feeling like I was running through jello," said Amanda McIlhone. "That's kind of where my memory gets fuzzy – and it's still a thing of disbelief." FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android During a fire drill, the teacher at 95th Street School collapsed outside her classroom. Her heart had stopped. = "I don't remember anything from here, the next thing I remember was being in the ambulance," she said. McIlhone survived sudden cardiac arrest thanks to training. The CPR, communication, urgency – it's all part of a Project ADAM drill. The school's cardiac response team treats it as a real-life emergency. Dig deeper Project ADAM began in 1999 after the death of Adam Lemel. The 17-year-old from Whitefish Bay collapsed and died while playing basketball. The organization works with schools across the country on how to respond to cardiac arrest, use AEDs and more. "Those first few minutes before any medical personnel could arrive," Dr. Anoop Singh said. "That's when you need a bystander to step in." Principal Sarah Pinto stepped in when McIlhone collapsed. "We were able to react in a calm manner and make sure a life was saved last year," Pinto said. McIlhone said doctors aren't sure what caused her sudden cardiac arrest. "There's no rhyme or reason for it," she said. Why you should care She said today she has the heart of a 20-year-old, and, thanks to training, gratitude that will last a lifetime. All MPS schools have staff trained for sudden cardiac arrests. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News More than 200 lives nationwide have been saved at Project ADAM Heart Safe Community Sites. FOX6 News is proud to partner with Project ADAM to enhance heart safety and awareness. The Source The information in this post was provided, in part, by Project ADAM.
