Nearly 85% Houston ISD’s automated external defibrillators are functional and every campus has functioning machines, the district said in a release Monday.
Still, 170 machines aren’t working, and HISD vowed Monday to repair and inspect all of them.
‘VERY DIFFICULT DAY’: Houston ISD student dies after medical emergency at Marshall MS
The district’s AED policies came into question after Marshall Middle School student Landon Payton died suddenly in a medical emergency at the school’s gym Wednesday. On Friday, the Houston Federation of Teachers reported that Marshall Middle School staff said the gym’s AED was not working at the time of the emergency.
“This oversight is entirely unacceptable and highlights a significant lapse in safety protocols,” the Houston Education Association wrote in a letter to the Texas Ecucation Association.
Of 1,038 AEDs in its schools, 868 are working, the district said, with an average of three functional AEDs per school. On Aug. 1, the District of Health and Medical Department reported that 100 percent of Houston ISD’s AEDs had been inspected, and each AED will be reinspected before the end of August, the district said.
Some school nurses reported issues with reordering batteries and other replacement parts for campus AEDs due to budget constraints. The district said it has ordered replacement parts for the remaining 170 machines in the district, per the release.
‘ANGRY AS HELL’: Dad of late HISD student says nurse did not know CPR, as union questions whether defibrillator worked
Previously, the district said principals and work location supervisors were responsible for ensuring that AEDs are working and available. After Payton’s death, the district said it would amend that policy to place authority and responsibility within its central office.
After reviewing footage, Payton’s father called the school nurse’s experience into question. The district said in a Saturday statement that the nurse was actively registered with decades of experience.
“Every campus in HISD has staff trained in medical emergencies and in life-saving techniques such as CPR,” the district said in a statement.