All Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 schools have been designated Heart Safe Schools by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in partnership with Project ADAM.
Plainfield District 202 is one of only 12 school districts in Illinois to earn the Heart Safe School designation in 2025 and is the largest district in the state to receive this distinction.
This significant recognition highlights the district’s commitment to student, staff, and community safety by implementing comprehensive emergency response systems to address sudden cardiac arrest.
“Every second counts in a cardiac emergency,” said Christina Edwards, Director of Health Services for District 202. “This designation reflects the district’s proactive planning, collaborative partnerships, and ongoing commitment to the well-being of our school communities.”
To achieve the Heart Safe School designation, each school met the rigorous requirements of the Project ADAM Heart Safe School Checklist, which includes:
A comprehensive written Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP)
A designated Cardiac Emergency Response Team
Ongoing CPR and AED training for staff
A sufficient number of accessible, properly maintained Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
Annual cardiac emergency drills in collaboration with local emergency responders
In December 2024, District 202 implemented a unified, district-wide CERP. All buildings conducted live cardiac emergency drills in partnership with local first responders to ensure preparedness and confidence in responding to potential cardiac emergencies earlier this year.
Of the 252 schools connected to Project ADAM across Illinois, Plainfield remains a model for cardiac emergency preparedness.
“There are an estimated 7,000 to 23,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests in children under 18 each year. We know that early access to CPR and an AED saves lives and improves outcomes. This is the mission of Project ADAM, and we are proud to partner with Plainfield District 202 to implement these lifesaving measures,” said Jaclyn Reider, Nurse Practitioner at Lurie Children’s Hospital and Project ADAM Program Coordinator.
All staff members will receive CPR and AED training in the 2025-2026 school year to support the district’s future safety goals.Z
Zach Scipione, Development Director of School Engagement with the American Heart Association, donated two CPR in Schools Training Kits to the district for use in staff training.
