According to the American Heart Association, less than 40% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients receive CPR before emergency medical services (EMS) teams arrive. An even smaller percentage of patients are treated with automated external defibrillators (AEDs). However, new initiatives and partnerships are striving to improve this statistic by aiming to double the survival rate for heart attacks.
Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president for health and safety innovation, states, “The idea is to ensure that lifesaving policies are in place at the high school level to make sure that our kids, if they suffer sudden cardiac arrest, have the best possible chances of success.” The NFL and other professional sports leagues are collaborating with the Red Cross and the American Heart Association to support the Smart Heart Coalition.
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, emphasizes the importance of emergency response plans in schools as they serve as focal points in the community. She also adds that while older individuals are more prone to cardiac arrests or cardiovascular events, young people are still affected by these events. Thus, it is crucial to have individuals prepared everywhere to save lives.
In the case of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s collapse during a live Monday Night Football game, the team’s doctors were well-prepared. This incident prompted the NFL and Hamlin to raise awareness and encourage the development of response plans. However, high schools lack the resources and setup of professional sports leagues, so the NFL aims to share their learnings with the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and others to ensure schools are adequately prepared to aid students in need.
Miller urges parents, coaches, and others to advocate for basic solutions that can prevent cardiac-related deaths, such as CPR education, emergency action plans, and the availability of AEDs within one to three minutes of athletic activities. Approximately 350,000 people experience heart attacks outside the hospital each year, and one in 300 kids has an undetected heart condition.
Athletes and health officials are actively engaging in efforts to increase awareness and accessibility to AEDs. Lawmakers have introduced the Access to AEDs Act, which would provide additional funding for schools, while Kansas Senator Roger Marshall emphasizes the importance of knowing AED locations and how to use them.
Medstar Health in Washington, D.C., has partnered with professional athletes from the Washington Capitals, Mystics, and Wizards to demonstrate CPR and AED usage. The videos aim to boost people’s confidence in learning and performing CPR, particularly in minority communities where bystander CPR rates are lower.
The American Heart Association emphasizes the importance of CPR training and provides easy-to-learn methods and videos to help save lives. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is no longer required, as hands-only CPR has been proven effective. The goal of the American Heart Association is to create a “Nation of Lifesavers” and encourages everyone to have CPR and AED training as part of their summer safety plan.
To access Medstar’s CPR videos, visit MedStarHealth.org/CPR. If you are interested in getting CPR-certified or learning to use an AED, you can find a class in your area at CPR.heart.org. Bret Baier, Chief Political Anchor of Fox News Channel, urges individuals to prioritize their safety by becoming informed and prepared.
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