May 21, 2004
The Cooperative Educational Services Agencies (CESA) #11 of Turtle Lake, Wisconsin has selected MEDIC FIRST AID to outfit the 39 public school districts it oversees with complete early defibrillation packages featuring Philips Heartstart defibrillators, training materials, and accessories.
MEDIC FIRST AID has committed to donating a percentage of the sales of each CPR and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) student pack purchased by a Wisconsin CESA school to Project ADAM (Automatic Defibrillators in Adam's Memory), a nationally recognized defibrillator awareness program based in Milwaukee,
“Project ADAM is extremely positive and we’re very grateful of MEDIC FIRST AID’s support,” said Lori Utech, director of Project ADAM. "Having another quality option for training only expands the services we both have to offer Wisconsin schools.”
Announcing the relationship, MEDIC FIRST AID President Bill Clendenen pointed to the company’s commitment to community service and the importance of emergency care training. “The goals of MEDIC FIRST AID are aligned with Project ADAM’s goals of improving the survival rate for sudden cardiac death in children and increasing the number of people trained in life-saving skills, such as CPR and the use of AEDs.”
Each school will receive an AED package featuring Philips Heartstart Onsite defibrillators. Additional materials include the Standard Carry Case, Battery for HeartStart, Fast Response Kit, Infant/Child Smart Pads, Defibrillator Cabinet, and AED Flat Sign. MEDIC FIRST AID is also negotiating to provide appropriate AED and CPR training through its National Training Network of instructors.
The deal, the first with the Wisconsin public school system, is part of MEDIC FIRST AID’s strong push in the early defibrillation implementation market. “We’re excited to work with the public schools of Wisconsin, and honored to contribute to Project ADAM. We’re already cultivating similar relationships across the country. It’s part of MEDIC FIRST AID’s commitment to help raise public awareness of the importance of early defibrillation,” said Chris Bennett, chief executive officer of MEDIC FIRST AID.
The Wisconsin CESA system was adopted into law in 1965 to replace the century-old county superintendent system. Originally numbering 19, recent restructuring has streamlined the CESA system, which is now composed of 12 agencies. CESA #11 manages 39 school districts in the state of Wisconsin, employing over 250 people who serve the district in a variety of programs.
A tragic series of sudden cardiac deaths among high school athletes in southeastern Wisconsin prompted David Ellis to forge a partnership with the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin to launch Project ADAM, named in honor of Adam Lemel, a 17-year-old student who collapsed and died during a basketball game. Since Project ADAM's inception in 1999, more than 20 children and adolescents have experienced sudden cardiac arrest in southeastern Wisconsin. Eight survived, due in large part to early access to emergency care, AEDs, immediate CPR, and advanced medical care received at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
