Six students identified for follow-ups after ‘Nick of Time’ heart screenings at Renton High School

Published 12:32 pm Friday, November 6, 2015

This week, Renton Firefighters participated in the Nick of Time Foundation Youth Heart Screening Event at Renton High School. Firefighters screened 243 teenager hearts and found six who need follow-up and monitoring, including one described as “very serious.”

“We always know there is a chance when we hold one of these screenings that we will find something very significant, we hope we find it but then again we hope everyone is healthy,” Firefighter Ryan Simonds said in an email. “Yesterday was one of those days – tough and very emotional for us and the team, we identified a very serious problem that could have proven tragic and we had an amazing group of people volunteering for Nick of Time Foundation who helped us make a difference in the ‘Nick of Time.’”

Simonds credited Renton School District Athletic Director Brian Kaelin for being proactive in keeping the district on the screening waiting list as it has now produced two significant findings that Simonds said “surely would have resulted in a tragedy if they hadn’t been identified.”

Simonds also cited the work of Rent High School staff in rounding up dstudents to be tested, the department support staff anf Valley mecical Center for supplying the gowns.

“It really does take ‘a village’ to make sure our young people are heart safe,” he said. “In this month of THANKS, we are so very thankful for for each and every member of our Nick of Time Family.”