A Family Emergency Inspires Masuk Senior's Capstone Project

Masuk High School senior Amy Rajpolt, 18, remembers when the quick actions of school staff at Chalk Hill saved the life of her younger sister, Michelle, when the fifth grader went into sudden cardiac arrest three years ago.

Art teacher, Alice Pulliam, school nurse Barbara Monaco and gym teacher Rob Troesser rushed to Michelle's aid and CPR and an Automatic Emergency Defibrillator (AED) got the girl's heart pumping again.

The incident inspired Amy's choice of a Capstone Project: Making Monroe a Heart Safe Community.

"It's a state recognition that measures a community's readiness to respond," Amy said Monday.

Amy said she chose David York, the town's emergency management director, as her mentor and worked with First Selectman Steve Vavrek, Masuk Principal Joseph Kobza, Michele Connelly of the Trumbull Monroe Health District and Monroe Volunteer EMS.

Amy said part of the application required her to identify at least 10 publicly accessible AEDs in town.

"We located 14 and I know there's more," she said.

Dennis Condon, chairman of the EMS Commission, said another requirement was having a paramedic service. Monroe recently earned Advanced Life Support status.

York said 10 signs will be placed at Monroe's borders saying it is a Heart Safe Community.

Amy was accompanied by her parents Sheryl and John, her sister, York, Condon and EMS volunteers Marge Brenna and Diane Czerniawski when she made a presentation on her Capstone Project to the Town Council on Monday night.

Sheryl Rajpolt said the public is invited to celebrate Monroe's Heart Safe designation in the Town Council Chambers on June 18.