The rescue efforts on the field Monday night are being credited with saving Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s life.
That emergency situation has put a new focus on the equipment and training it would take to respond to a similar crisis, no matter where it happens.
The first step in being prepared for a medical emergency, like what we saw during Monday Night Football, is knowing where an AED is located. Those machines can save a life but not knowing where they are in an emergency can be the difference between life and death.
Hamlin is still alive today simply because of the people who were prepared to save lives on the football field that night.
“That wasn’t high-level medical care,” said the Ceo of MedStar, Kolby Miller. “That’s stuff that all of us can learn quickly and should know.”
Miller says while what we saw was scary, it was an excellent reminder for all of us to be prepared.
“What happened at the game is a lesson for all of us that the critical care that the player received when they got to the hospital is based on the fact that there was an AED close by,” Miller said.
Jayvon Jones is an EMT with MedStar. He says an AED is foolproof. If you’re in a situation where somebody collapses, the first thing to do is to call 911 and then check for a pulse.
“If you don’t feel anything, then the first thing you want to do is start with 30 compressions,” said Jones.
Another person should grab the AED. That’s why knowing where it’s located is crucial. Once you open it, the machine talks to you by telling you how to use it step by step.
“So you don’t have to be trained to do this at all,” Jones said. “Anyone can do this. So this is a very important thing to learn. And it’s a great thing to learn and do CPR.”
While the event that took place during the football game was highly televised, this can happen anywhere.
“That same scenario plays out in churches and schools and restaurants and high school football fields every day,” Miller said.
That’s why MedStar trains and donates AEDs to not-for-profit businesses so they can effectively do their job once arriving on the scene.
“So we believe so strongly in the value of AEDs and CPR in our service area that we provide AEDs for free to any public not-for-profit, civic organization, church school,” Miller said.
If you’re interested in getting an AED for your workplace or would like training on how to use one, you can contact MedStar by clicking here.
