EAST LANSING, Mich. — State health officials recognized 360 Michigan schools on Friday for being ready to respond when a student, coach or visitor goes into cardiac arrest, handing out MI HEARTSafe designations at a ceremony held at the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
The state health department said 133 of this year’s honorees are earning the award for the first time. Since the program began in 2013, a total of 1,360 schools have been recognized, and 1,063 currently hold an active designation.
Schools have to clear five requirements. Each needs a written cardiac emergency response plan and a team that can act during classes, after-school programs and games. Defibrillators must be easy to reach, inspected on a routine schedule and marked with signs pointing the way.
Training targets are specific: at least 10% of all staff, half of all coaches, every head coach and every physical education teacher must hold current CPR and AED certification. Schools also run a cardiac emergency drill each year and use the athletic association’s physical and history form to screen athletes before they play.
The award covers three school years before a school must reapply. Districts that have already earned it this year, such as Holly Area Schools in Oakland County, said honored buildings receive MI HEARTSafe banners to display.
The program is run with the Michigan Department of Education, the American Heart Association, the athletic association and a statewide alliance that works to prevent sudden cardiac death in young people. The health department plans a virtual workshop in January 2027 for schools that want to apply, with continuing education credit offered to nurses and school staff.
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