Red Cross honors school district for emergency preparation

As published in the St. Charles County Journals .

To the American Red Cross, the Francis Howell School District is a "lifesaver."

The organization on March 29 gave the district it's Lifesaver Community Award for training employees in emergency response and installing automated external defibrillators in every school.

District nurses received recognition during the ceremony for the role they played in implementing the Lifesaver Community Program district-wide.

The district annually trains more than 300 employees in CPR, first aid and defibrillator operation. The district requires all incoming freshmen to become certified in CPR. Seven employees are trained Red Cross curriculum instructors. The district hosts multiple blood drives in all schools each year.

Francis Howell is the first local school district to place an automated external defibrillator in every educational building. It has 25 defibrillators stationed district-wide. All administrators and athletic trainers are taught how to use the devices.

Francis Howell and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the first two organizations to receive the Red Cross Lifesaver Community Award. The program honors corporate, governmental and civic organizations that contribute to a safer community environment.

Award criteria include implementing Red Cross health and safety training for at least three years, regularly training employees in CPR and first aid, onsite defibrillators and hosting Red Cross blood drives.