School trustees not so sure about defibrillators

Defibrillators in schools?

They might save lives, but some trustees at the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board aren't yet fully convinced they're a good idea.

At a board meeting last night, trustees debated whether to place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in its high schools.

Trustee Lindsay Liske was concerned that the board could be held liable if someone used an AED improperly and a life was lost.

Liske wanted a month to think about the issue, do some research and consider possible ramifications.

Trustee Laurie Aceti agreed, saying she was uncomfortable being rushed into the decision and wanted time to read and fully consider a report submitted last night by board Superintendent John Bruno.

Trustee Grace Tridico brought the issue to the table last May when she suggested the board look into AEDs, indicating that other Catholic boards in the province were using them.

At that time the board ordered a report on the advantages, disadvantages, costs and possible liabilities.

At last night's meeting, Bruno reported the upfront cost would be about $2,500 a school to have one AED on site.

That cost would include both the device and training of staff on how to use it properly.

There would also be yearly expenses to maintain and service the AEDS.

Bruno said the board would need to create detailed procedures and policies to cover notification that AEDs are available on site at the schools, information about how to use them, a warning against tampering, and providing information about recent legislation providing liability protection for people who use them.

The board would be responsible to maintain the devices in good working order and Bruno recommended that maintenance logs be mandatory should the board choose to install AEDs in its two high schools.

Trustee Gerald Beerkens said that not having defibrillators in local high schools could be more problematic than having them and not knowing how to use them.

Beerkens asked trustees to consider what would happen if a life was lost and it was then learned that it could have been saved for a mere $2,500.

Tridico moved that the board install AEDs in its high schools by September 2010 at the latest, conditional on being able to raise funds for them and on the creation of effective policies regarding AEDs.

The board decided to vote on that motion at its next meeting.

If trustees decide to install defibrillators in its high schools, they will call for proposals on package deals to both provide the devices and to train staff on how to use them.

Bruno told the board that some avenues for funding had been explored and it's possible the AEDs could be financed outside the board's budget.