Heart device on hold

The death of 14-year old freshman Megan Myers, a Dana Hills High School cross-country runner who collapsed and died of heart failure during a meet last September, has prompted many school districts to purchase automated external defibrillators. Dana Hills did not have a defibrillator, which may have been able to have saved Myers.

In Laguna Beach, officials are still deciding whether and when to acquire the life-saving devices.

Mike Churchill, athletic director at Laguna Beach High School, is a proponent of placing defibrillators in schools. Churchill wanted to buy the devices last year for the high school but was not able to.

“We set aside money for them last fall, but the school board told us to hold off,” Churchill said. “Apparently, they are going to purchase them for every school in the district. We hope to have them next school year.”

Laguna Beach track coach, Steve Lalim, agrees that AED’s are important to have on-hand.

“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” he said.

Darrin Reed, executive assistant to the superintendent’s office, said the issue will be reviewed by the District Policy Committee next month.

Santa Ana Unified School District has provided six high schools with three defibrillators to prevent the death of students by cardiac arrest. Now, other schools in Orange County are looking to do the same.

The portable, computerized devices restore normal heart rhythm to persons in cardiac arrest. Two pads are placed on the victim’s chest, and the computer automatically analyzes heart rhythm and instructs the rescuer whether or not a defibrillation “shock” is needed to restore a normal heart beat.

More than 200,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year. Up to 50,000 of these could have been prevented if defibrillators were used, according to the Red Cross.