On Jan. 30, the Fountain Hills Rural/Metro Fire Department was called to Fountain Hills Middle School when a seventh grader went into cardiac arrest on the school’s track.

According to Fire Chief Dave Ott, a teacher provided great bystander CPR until help had arrived at the scene.

The seventh grader was transported to a local hospital, breathing and with a sustained pulse. The teacher did not wish to make a comment at this time.

It is currently not a requirement for K-12 classroom teachers to have CPR/first aid training, but other Fountain Hills Unified School District staff members do receive such training.

“FHUSD trains all instructional aides, bus drivers, coaches and preschool personnel in CPR and first aid at the beginning of each school year,” Superintendent Dr. Robert Allen said. “Training is also made available to all new hires throughout the year who fall in this classification of staffing.”

While every medical situation is different, it is FHUSD’s policy to contact 911 in the event of a medical emergency.

“A ‘medical emergency’ can encompass a large range of possible situations,” Dr. Allen explained. “Every situation is different. Ultimately, the procedure for a medical emergency is to call 911. The nurse/health aide on site is always notified and keeps the student/staff member stable until EMS has arrived. If needed, we have Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) on every campus in case of a suspected cardiac-related issue.”

Allen also stressed the need for parents and guardians to alert the school to any prior condition their student has.

“The process in place for all of our students enrolled in a Fountain Hills school is an Emergency Medical form sent home with each student at the beginning of each school year,” Dr. Allen said. “Parents need to understand the importance of this form and make sure it is returned to the school at the beginning or every new school year. When a parent/guardian has reported a medical concern or known medical condition, the student’s name appears with a symbol indicating an alert to a medical issue/concern in our Power Schools system.”