Learning Health & Safety by Heart

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer, and the Communications Team

In November 2021, the idea for the Taipei American School Safety Center was born in the minds of Upper School Head Athletic Trainer Caleb Lott and his department colleagues. Since then, the TASSC has come to fruition with the first training sessions on CPR/ AED launched at the start of the 2022-23 school year. As of May 2023, over half of all employees are certified in CPR and AED use.

“Our ultimate goal is the training and certification of over 400 TAS faculty in emergency cardiac care, and we’re eager to continue into first aid certification as well,” said Lott.

Seeking a proactive solution that reflects the latest best practices in emergency preparedness, TASSC partnered with the Health & Safety Institute to launch its blended learning certification program at TAS. The 3.5-hour course balances online content with in-person instruction for more significant information retention and more certifications.

“We plan to create a root system of instructors along with our certifications,” explained Lott. With the initial certification valid for two years, the TASSC’s forwardthinking strategy for reaching saturation involves regular training sessions and teaching those certified to become teachers.

Studies show that 7 out of 10 individuals feel helpless in the event of a cardiac emergency. The work of the TASSC to improve those statistics is founded on the TAS commitment to student and community safety. By providing faculty and staff with professional development that includes practical applications that benefit everyone, the TASSC hopes to transform those 7 individuals from bystanders to lifesavers.

One of those employees was Adele Chen, Upper School Visual Arts and PSF Assistant. The last time Adele had CPR training was in Middle School, so she attended a TAS Staff CPR Training Session in October 2022 to refresh her skills.

One morning in November, Adele was waiting for the city bus to

TAS. As the bus approached her stop, it began to veer toward the right of the street, slowing as it went. It was clear that something was wrong, especially as the bus stopped against a lamp pole near Shi Dong Elementary School. Adele went to see what was wrong, and it became clear that the bus driver was having a cardiac emergency.

Prepared by her training and her refresher course with TAS, Adele acted quickly and, with assistance from one passenger, got the unconscious driver out of his seat and began performing CPR. Fellow bystanders alerted emergency services and sought an AED device from the Shi Dong Elementary School. Adele performed CPR on the driver for 5 minutes, assisting his heart in providing critical oxygen to his body and brain. When the AED arrived, she followed her recent training to place it correctly, allowing the machine to analyze the rhythm of the bus driver’s heart and deliver two lifesaving defibrillating shocks.

After the paramedics arrived, they acknowledged her help, saying, “Thank you, we can take over now,” before transporting the bus driver to the hospital for treatment.

“I never expected the skill I learned just three weeks ago would be urgently needed so soon,” Adele said. “I would advise all staff and faculty at TAS to get the CPR & AED training as soon as possible.” She continued, “If more people are prepared for this kind of emergency, it’s more likely someone will be there to help you if you ever need it.”

Caleb agrees, “Most people feel helpless in a cardiac emergency,” he said. “Adele showed that you can go from a bystander to a lifesaver with the right training. And that’s our goal.”