It has been eight years since New York State started requiring schools to have automated external defibrillators (AED) and at least one staff member trained to use it. Gates Chili Central School District has 12 AEDs on its campus and dozens of staff members, faculty and coaches trained each year to use them, but they have never had to, until this past Friday.

"As much as you think you'll never use it, and hope you'll never use it, you'll wanna have those skills and you'll want to have it be automatic when it comes to that situation," athletic trainer Julie Savage said.

Savage was one of two Gates Chili faculty members who quickly responded to the track after a 14-year-old athlete collapsed during practice.

Softball coach Mike Candileri was only a few feet below the track in the field house when Olivia Fish went down.

"Probably about five seconds it took me to get up to where she was. I knew that once I got there that every second was gonna matter. And this was the whole deal, the real deal, with no pulse, no breathing,” Candileri said.

While Candileri started CPR, two of Olivia's teammates grabbed the AED which happened to be only about 10 feet away.

"I put the pads on her,” Savage said, “It, we analyzed her. It said, the shock was advised. We shocked her and it said continue CPR which is a good sign because it did its job. We didn't have to shock her again and we continued CPR until the ambulance came and they took over and took her to the hospital."

Doctors at the University of Rochester Medical Center are still trying to figure out exactly what caused Olivia to go into cardiac arrest. Her parents said they're extremely grateful for everyone who responded so quickly to help her.

"I think they did a great job. They did exactly what should have been done and I think if this would've been five or 10 years ago without the AED, she would've had a much lower chance of getting to where she is now this quickly. If she would've even made it to the hospital," Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. George Porter, said.

Dr. Porter said Olivia has no lasting signs of mental or physical problems.

Her father said she was able to get out of bed and walk around for the first time Tuesday.

Her progress is important for coaches and teammates to hear; they admit they were terrified by their first near death experience.

"I'd rather just know in my heart that she's okay. That's the only thing I need and when I see her today in the hospital that'll definitely make me feel a lot better and that's the only congratulation that I need, is just to see her and have a conversation with her," Candileri said.

New York State law also requires all public buildings to have AEDs by the end of the month.

Gates Chili Central School District
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