KINGWOOD — Preston County joined the West Virginia Heart Safe Schools Project.
Dr. John Phillips, chief of the Section of Pediatric Cardiology at West Virginia University Health Sciences, and Preston County Schools nurse Brandy Chandler presented information on the program to the Preston County Board of Education Tuesday.
The program aims to get as many state schools as possible to join in. The program encourages schools to prepare a plan for any cardiac event that may occur by training cardiac response teams and placing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in each school.
Most Preston County schools already have the devices, Chandler said in reply to questions from the board. There is no cost to join the program and no requirement that schools join, but 11 other counties are participating, Phillips said, and 85% of state schools have one or more AEDs onsite.
The vote to join in the program was 5-0, one of the first votes cast by new board member Bruce Huggins. Huggins was selected by the board from seven applicants to fill the position left by the resignation of board member Robert “Mac” McCrum, who is running for the State House of Delegates.
Huggins will fill the position until voters elect someone in May to complete the remainder of the term. He was sworn in Tuesday by Preston County Clerk Linda Huggins.
Board President Jack Keim welcomed Huggins. “We’re most happy to have you on our board and wish you the best of luck,” Keim said.
Also Tuesday, the board met in closed session with County Commissioner Samantha Stone on a personnel issue. No action was taken after the session. Stone is a substitute school bus driver for the county.
The board also recognized the Preston High cross-country girls and boys teams for their accomplishments at the Big 10 championships.
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