Greenhills earns MI HEARTSafe designation

Greenhills earned its official designation as a MI HEARTSafe School Oct. 12 in a special ceremony attended by Athletic Director Meg Seng at University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. 

The designation means, among other things, that the school performs at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year; has a written medical emergency response plan and team; has current CPR/AED certification of at least 10 percent of staff, 100 percent of head varsity coaches, and 50 percent of P.E. staff; and ensures pre-participation sports screening of all student athletes using the current physical and history form endorsed by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

“Many sudden cardiac deaths that claim the lives of children and young adults could be prevented through screening, detection, and treatment,” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which led the designation effort. “Appropriate medical response within three to five minutes is crucial for increasing the chance of survival, which is why I’m pleased to see so many of our schools taking vital measures to prepare and address this health issue.”

Seng said the designation is an important indicator of Greenhills’ commitment to safety.

“We’re proud to have implemented the MI HEARTSafe program at Greenhills, and we’re truly grateful to the Pardington family, who encouraged and supported us throughout the process from start to finish — in addition to their generous donation of an AED to the school,” Seng said.

Beyond that support, Jack Pardington ’16 was personally instrumental in the school’s successful application, Seng said. His senior project last year actually drove the application.

“The school’s administration provided  resources, including CPR certification training, for all of our faculty and staff,” Seng said. “We believe we have taken positive steps at Greenhills for raising awareness and establishing preparedness for responding to cardiac emergencies, and Jack’s dedication really helped with those efforts.”