Tools, Training and Teamwork Save a Florida Student

Jacksonville, FL

Pictured: The staff members that were involved in the lifesaving moment.
From L to R: Amy Hunt (Gym Coach), Katy Mixon (Gym Coach) and Beth Mueller (Registered Nurse).

In the Fall of 2025, a morning at North Florida School of Special Education (NFSSE) had just begun—soft sounds of sneakers skidding the gym floor, the hum of early morning chatter, the bright start of another school day. In one moment, that everyday calm shifted when a student with a known heart condition collapsed.

NFSSE’s gym coaches sprang into action, beginning chest compressions immediately. The school nurse grabbed the automated external defibrillator (AED) that was provided by the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation and delivered lifesaving intervention until first responders arrived.

The student’s heart specialist later confirmed: the AED, training, and teamwork saved their life.

“Our gratitude runs deep for our staff members, and for the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, whose generosity provided the critical AED. Because of them, one family still gets to hold their child close.”
– Director of Advancement Emily Knight Smith, North Florida School of Special Education

Granted Equipment Used:
Automated External Defibrillator (AED): Portable, battery-operated device that allows first responders, schools and the public to be prepared to give lifesaving assistance on-scene during cardiac emergencies.