Fulton County Heath Department gives area schools life-saving devices

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The Fulton County Health Department kicked off the end of the 2024 school year by gifting Fulton County schools with automated external defibrillators and choking rescue kits. 

School officials from Rochester Community Schools, Caston School Corporation, Akron Elementary School, and Legacy Christian Academy met at the Fulton County Annex building to load up the boxes of life-saving devices last week. A total of 16 AEDs and 10 LifeVac kits were distributed. 

Among the officials collecting devices was Columbia Elementary Principal Jason Snyder. With Columbia Elementary also operating a daycare and preschool, alongside their Kindergarten and first grade classes, the choking rescue kits are something Snyder says his facility is thankful for. 

Funding was made possible through the first round of the state’s Health First Indiana initiative. Health First Indiana (HFI) is the state initiative to help transform public health in the state.

Created by Senate Enrolled Act 4, it was passed by the 2023 Indiana General Assembly, providing $225 million in funding through the budget bill for local Indiana communities, to prioritize public health and safety

Public Health Nurse Denise Ostafin said a little more than $41,000 from HFI is being used so far in Fulton County. 

Front row, from left; Health Officer Dr. Kevin Reyburn, Public Health Nurse Denise Ostafin, Akron Elementary School nurse Rachel Farley, Health Department nurse Pamela Moyer, Charlee Schwenk of Legacy Christian Academy, Caston nurse assistant LeAnn Coffing, Caston School Superintendent Angie Miller, Rochester School nurse Beth Stavedahl;

Back row, from left; Akron Elementary Principal Scott Sterk, Jon Stoner, Wyatt Dyson, Kayla Hunter, Samantha Towne of Legacy Christian Academy, Dawn Risten of the health department, Columbia Elementary Principal Jason Snyder, Carrie Ranstead of the health department, Caston School nurse Lyndsey Ball and Shanna Hazen of Legacy Christian Academy.