Local Mom Gets AEDs Installed at Half Moon Bay High

After nearly two years of tireless efforts by staff and parents, four automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed at Half Moon Bay High School. The AEDs are the first to be installed in the Cabrillo Unified School District.

The goal to install AEDs at Half Moon Bay High School began in August of 2011 when student Eoin Bloomer was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome, a heart condition that is potentially fatal for athletes. Bloomer’s mother, Pauline Burke, asked at a Boosters meeting whether Half Moon Bay High School had on-site AEDs. An AED is a portable, easy-to-use device that a lay rescuer can use in the event of cardiac arrest.

Bloomer’s diagnosis was later found to be incorrect, but Burke understood the importance of having AEDs at the school for students and adults alike. She vowed to make it happen. “It’s not just athletes at risk,” Burke says, “it’s parents and grandparents watching the game. It’s a kid running to music class or to the library to rent a book.”

With the great help of Half Moon Bay High School Assistant Principal Jared Dooley, Burke, and generous contributions from the Half Moon Bay community, the AEDs were installed this month in the gym, football field, softball field and administrative office. Ten teachers and staff members were trained on operating the AEDs in the case of an emergency.

The Heartsine Samaritan AEDs were funded by the Half Moon Bay High School Boosters Athletics Corp.’s $7,000 contribution. Dignity Health contributed $5,000 to cover the maintenance and training costs of the AEDs for years to come.

The AED installations signaled a great victory for Half Moon Bay High School and the Cabrillo Unified School District, but for Burke, there is still work to be done. “We need to educate the community that you do not need training to operate an AED—anyone can save a life.”

This article was submitted by the Via Foundation, which helps save lives by raising funds for, and placing, automated external defibrillators in schools and communities.