All D202 Schools Earn 'Heart Safe School' Designations From Lurie Children's Hospital

PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 is one of 12 districts — also the largest one — in Illinois that received the Heart Safe School designation in 2025.

The recognition from the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago in partnership with Project ADAM is a result of the district's commitment to student, staff and community safety by implementing comprehensive emergency response systems in each school in case of sudden cardiac arrest.

"Every second counts in a cardiac emergency," Christina Edwards, director of health services for District 202, said in a statement. "This designation reflects the district's proactive planning, collaborative partnerships and ongoing commitment to the well-being of our school communities."

To receive the Heart Safe School designation, each District 202 school met the requirements set by the Project ADAM Heart Safe School Checklist:

• Have a comprehensive written Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP)
• Have a designated Cardiac Emergency Response Team
• Complete ongoing CPR and AED training for staff
• Install a sufficient number of accessible, properly maintained Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
• Host annual cardiac emergency drills in collaboration with local emergency responders

District 202 implemented a unified cardiac emergency response plan across all schools in December 2024, and all buildings conducted live cardiac emergency drills with local first responders to ensure preparedness and confidence in responding to potential emergencies. All District 202 staff members will also receive CPR and AED training in the 2025-26 school year.

Of the 252 schools across Illinois connected to Project ADAM — a national program that aims to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in children and teenagers — District 202 "remains a model for cardiac emergency preparedness," officials said in a news release.

“There are an estimated 7,000 to 23,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests in children under 18 each year," said Jaclyn Reider, nurse practitioner at Lurie Children's Hospital and the Project ADAM program coordinator. "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."