HISD to address lifesaving devices on campuses and new safety systems put in place

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Months after a middle school student died, HISD said it has more functioning automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and new safety systems in place.

An AED is a portable device that can be used to treat a person whose heart has suddenly stopped working.

In August, a Marshall Middle School student died, and teacher union officials said the nurse tried to use an AED that wouldn't work.

Since then, Eyewitness News has been trying to get answers about these devices. The district hired attorneys to fight releasing the information and even asked the Texas Attorney General to keep it from ABC13. However, the district was forced to hand over some of the information.

Late Wednesday night, the district finally responded to some of our questions by releasing a report. The report shows that the AED in Marshall Middle School's gym was inspected in May.

It shows the pads expired months earlier in January. There's an order for replacement parts in the report, but it's unclear when the order was made and when the parts were replaced.

HISD Director of Safety and Emergency, Craig Straw, was asked on Thursday if the upgrades were made prior to the student's death.

"I have not had a chance to actually look at the report that you're looking at," Straw said. "I would have to go back and look into the software and see when those new batteries and pads were installed."

RELATED: Houston teachers' union being told defibrillator wasn't working when Marshall MS student collapsed

On Aug. 1, the district said it inspected all of its AEDs on campuses.

Two weeks later, HISD officials said student Landon Payton suffered a medical emergency during gym class and died.

The Houston Federation of Teachers said the nurse who tried to save him went to use an AED, and it didn't work.

A few days later, HISD said there was at least one working AED on each campus.

However, it said 170 of the machines weren't working.

On Sept. 1, HISD said it reviewed health and safety protocols and made changes.

By Oct. 1, the district said it had at least two working AEDs per campus.

Now, the district says it has three working AEDs in 75% of its campuses, with nearly 1,000 and 40 functioning devices district-wide.

HISD also invested in four new safety systems.

RELATED: HISD silent on alleged AED failure when middle school student suffered fatal medical emergency

The district says it has panic alarms, tools to track safety compliances, a virtual emergency response platform to share real-time information, and a new platform to track inspections of all life safety equipment.

"What the new service does is it checks the batteries, it checks the pads, and those are inspected every 30 days. That data is updated in real-time to a health connect system," Straw explained.

While the district is making this announcement, we're still waiting to learn about why student Landon Payton died.

The Harris County medical examiner's office has looked into his death over the last four months.

As of Thursday morning, it still shows the cause of death is pending.

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