NFL Buffalo Bills Continue CPR Training to Kick Off Year 2 of HeartBEAT Initiative

Completed in 2023, this five-year commitment adds lifeguards to the lifeline in Buffalo and Western New York.

DALLAS, May 23, 2024 — Nine out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, according to data from the American Heart Association. This is partly because they do not receive immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) more than half the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chances of survival. The American Heart Association and the Buffalo Bills want more people to be confident and capable in the face of a heart emergency. Through the HeartBEAT initiative, the two organizations are partnering to bring more hands-only CPR demonstrations and equipment to community events, organizations and youth sports groups across the western part of the state from New York.

Launching in 2023, the HeartBEAT initiative is a five-year, $1 million commitment by the Buffalo Bills to educate thousands of Western New Yorkers in hands-only CPR. The project adds more people to the association’s Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which aims to double survival rates by 2030.

Now in its 100^th This year, the American Heart Association is the world leader in life support science, education and training, and publisher of the official scientific guidelines for CPR. The Nation of Lifesavers™ movement is the association’s most recent demonstration of commitment to CPR education. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s sudden cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football in January 2023 was the spark that ignited the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers Pledge. Hamlin, currently a National Ambassador, Champions work alongside the Association to add lifeguards to the chain of survival where fans live, work and play.

“Knowing how to respond in a cardiac emergency when seconds count is literally the difference between life and death. By holding these life-saving CPR demonstrations in the community, we meet people where they are,” said Nancy Brown, executive director of the American Heart Association. “As we celebrate 100 years of working to save lives, our collaboration with the Buffalo Bills adds more lifeguards to Western New York. »

For the second year of the HeartBEAT program, the American Heart Association and the Buffalo Bills will host CPR demonstrations and training at community events to teach participants the correct frequency and depth of compressions.

CPR training will be free and open to the public at the following events and locations:

• Buffalo Marathon on Saturday, May 25, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center
• Buffalo Public Schools Summit on Saturday, June 1 at 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET at All-High Stadium
• Dion Dreamers Community Day on Tuesday, July 16 at 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. AND to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
• Buffalo Bills training camp through summer 2024 at St. John Fisher University, Rochester
• Buffalo CycleNation will take place in fall 2024 at the ADPRO Athletic Training Center
• Heartbeat Game Day taking place in fall 2024 at Highmark Stadium

“The Bills are committed to promoting CPR education at all levels of football and throughout the community,” said Michelle Roberts, Buffalo Bills vice president of community impact. “Together with the American Heart Association, we are grateful to be able to help provide training opportunities to our community on the life-saving skills of hands-only CPR.”

In addition to hands-on education efforts, the American Heart Association and the Buffalo Bills will continue to focus on CPR training for youth athletic trainers. On June 3, during National CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Awareness Week, the American Heart Association and Buffalo Bills will host an educational webinar focused on new state legislation requiring camps and New York youth sports programs establish automated external defibrillator, or AED, implementation plans. Interested groups can register for the webinar online.

As part of the HeartBEAT initiative, 200 youth sports CPR and first aid training kits will be placed throughout the Western New York community. These training kits are designed for youth coaches to ensure they and their community know the life-saving skills of CPR, how to use an AED, and how to help in a sports-related emergency. Each kit allows training around 300 people per year. In the first year of the program, 30 kits have already been placed in the Western New York community. For more information on how to request a kit for a youth sports organization, visit the American Heart Association website. Heartbeat initiative website.

Quick, simple and easy to learn, Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective in the first few minutes as conventional CPR in cases of cardiac arrest at home, at work or in public.⁽¹⁾. It’s as simple as calling 911 if you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse and then push hard and fast in the center of the chest.

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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world where lives are longer and healthier. We are committed to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with many organizations and millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for public health, and share vital resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century. In 2024 – our centennial year – we celebrate our rich history and 100-year achievements. As we move forward into our second century of bold discovery and impact, our vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For media inquiries:

American Heart Association – Linzy Cotaya: 504 872-3446; [email protected]

Buffalo Tickets – Kevin Kearns: 315.532.7482; [email protected]

For public inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and Stroke.org