UPIKE Newsroom

The University of Pikeville (UPIKE) has become the first college campus in Kentucky to become a Heart Safe School, earning recognition for its commitment to preparing students, faculty and staff to respond to sudden cardiac arrest.

The designation follows UPIKE’s work with the American Heart Association and Project ADAM at Golisano Children’s at UK to strengthen the university’s cardiac emergency preparedness. American Heart Association representatives recently visited campus to conduct automated external defibrillator (AED) drills, testing emergency response procedures and helping ensure the university is prepared to respond when every second counts.

Project ADAM, which stands for Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory, works with schools and communities to improve preparedness for sudden cardiac arrest. Its Heart Safe School program provides a framework for establishing Cardiac Emergency Response Plans, training personnel in CPR and AED use and conducting emergency response drills.

UPIKE’s efforts build on an American Heart Association grant that funded AEDs for the university. The grant also supported the development of a campus-wide Cardiac Emergency Response Plan, CPR training opportunities and other measures designed to strengthen emergency preparedness.

“In a cardiac emergency, being prepared can make all the difference,” said Mike Turner, community impact director with the American Heart Association of Central and Eastern Kentucky. “The work UPIKE is doing to strengthen its Cardiac Emergency Response Plan is an important investment in the safety of its students, faculty, staff and the broader Pikeville community. This work is about empowering people to act when every second counts and, ultimately, helping save lives.”

UPIKE Director of Environmental Health, Laboratory and Safety Compliance Lee Upchurch said the designation reflects the university’s commitment to making sure its campus community is prepared to act in an emergency.

“We pursued Project ADAM certification because it was the right thing to do for our campus community. We want our students, employees and visitors to know that we are committed to being prepared when someone needs us most,” Upchurch said. “We are grateful to our community partners at Pikeville EMS for their support throughout this process. Preparing for a cardiac emergency takes teamwork, and that partnership strengthens our ability to respond when every second matters.”

Through its collaboration with Project ADAM, UPIKE has worked to establish the procedures, training and practice needed for an effective response to sudden cardiac arrest. Regular drills help participants understand their roles and practice the steps necessary to respond quickly, including accessing an AED and initiating CPR.

“UPIKE has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to creating an environment where people are prepared to respond when a cardiac emergency occurs. Implementing a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan means putting the right preparations in place before an emergency happens, so people know how to act when every second matters. We’re proud to have worked alongside the American Heart Association and UPIKE to help strengthen that readiness and create a safer campus community,” said Mindy Seeberger, co-coordinator with Project ADAM at Golisano Children’s at UK.

According to the American Heart Association, hundreds of thousands of adults and tens of thousands of children experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States each year. Prompt CPR and defibrillation can improve the chances of survival, underscoring the importance of accessible AEDs and people who are prepared to use them.

By achieving Heart Safe School recognition, UPIKE reinforces its commitment to protecting its campus community and serving as a partner in building a safer, healthier Eastern Kentucky.