ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is one of the more than 356,000 Americans who have experienced cardiac arrest outside of a hospital over the last year, according to the American Heart Association.
Of those cardiac incidents – when the heart suddenly stops beating – 90% are fatal, making cardiac arrest a public health crisis.
- Interest in learning CPR and AED use has jumped since Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday night during an NFL game
- The incident showcased the importance of acting as quickly as possible, officials say
- Cetronia Ambulance Corps will hold an event Jan. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. to teach CPR and AED use
What made the difference in Hamlin’s case – he remains in intensive care and is showing some improvement, according to the latest updates – is that team physicians administered CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) immediately and also had access to an AED (automated external defibrillator) to shock Hamlin’s heart and restore its rhythm.
It was an incident that showcased the importance of having the right skills and tools on hand and acting as quickly as possible, said Allentown EMS Chief of Operations Mehmet Barzev.
“During a cardiac arrest, time is of the essence and each minute that passes without rapid intervention can literally be life and death,” Barzev said.
“During a cardiac arrest, time is of the essence and each minute that passes without rapid intervention can literally be life and death"Mehmet Barzev, Allentown EMS Chief of Operations
Since Monday, interest in learning CPR and the use of AED machines has skyrocketed, online search trends show.
“When a person is in cardiac arrest they need uninterrupted, high quality compressions at a rate of 100 per minute,” Barzev said. “Also, they need an AED. During a cardiac arrest, for each minute that passes without the use of an AED, a person is 10% less likely to survive.”
AEDs are in many public locations, and they offer the best chance of survival for anyone in cardiac arrest, he said.
“You simply cannot wait for the paramedics, fire department or the police. Lay rescuers will make the difference unless there is an emergency responder right there, as was the case Monday night in Cincinnati. People need to act,” said Barzev.
Miguel Rivera, an operations supervisor at Cetronia Ambulance Corps, echoed that sentiment on Wednesday morning.
“The first thing [in an emergency] is to call 911 or have someone else call 911. So absolutely get emergency services started,” Rivera said. “After that, learning CPR is probably the best thing [to offer help]. I think if you learn it once, you probably don't forget it, especially now with just hands-only CPR. They’ve made it very simple. For you to do that doesn't require a lot of training.”
On a mannequin used to provide realistic training for CPR and AED, Rivera demonstrated the proper hand placement – two hands on the lower half of the breastbone – to start CPR, as well as the depth needed to stimulate blood flow and pump the heart of the average person.
“The main goal of CPR is to circulate the blood,” Rivera said. “So as you're compressing down on the chest, that also compresses down on the walls of the heart, allowing blood to be pushed out of the heart. And then when you release the pressure that you're creating by letting go, it fills the heart back up and it also allows air to move into the lungs.
“That's why hands-only CPR is so effective. Because when you press down and when you let go you create a negative pressure, and that allows air to move in and allow some oxygenation.”
The rule of depth for high-quality compressions is one-third the depth of the chest, Rivera said, and properly timed compressions are key, pressing hard and fast with the shoulders directly over the hands and the elbows locked.
Compressions should continue for two-minute intervals before checking to see if a person is responsive.
“After six minutes, the chances of survival start to go down. “So the reason why this is very important is if you see someone collapse, and within 30 seconds you’re already doing CPR, you've already increased the chances of survival.”
Should the use of an AED become necessary, Rivera said over 95% of them tell you exactly what to do using step-by-step voice prompts. That includes instructions on where to place the pads and when – or if – you’d need to deliver a shock.
“We have several people here [at Cetronia] that can give testimonials, myself included,” Rivera said. “Two years ago, I had an individual that stopped breathing and his heart stopped. We did CPR and we had to shock him with the defibrillator at that point, and he regained consciousness before we got to the hospital. So does it work? Absolutely."
Cetronia will hold a family-friendly event on Jan. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. for those interested in learning CPR and how to operate an AED. The cost is $5 and the class is open to anyone 12 and older.
“We’re starting to push more to get our community trained,” said Michael LaPearl, who has been with Cetronia for 20 years and recently moved into the role of education director.
He noted the statistic that nearly 1,000 people each day suffer cardiac arrest in the U.S., and it’s up to everyone to help change the outcome and help boost the rate of survival to hospital discharge.
“The tragic event Monday night is proof the system works,” Barzev added. “Early recognition, early action, and rapid access to high-quality CPR and an AED will increase survival from sudden cardiac arrest.”
The American Red Cross also offers classes available on weekdays and weekends, plus online, with instructor-led and blended learning course formats. The classes offer personalized learning and interactive scenarios, including hands-on practice designed to give people confidence to perform CPR.
To find a class, visit redcross.org and click on ‘training & certification’ in the top navigation bar.
To find a course through the American Heart Association, visit cpr.heart.org/.
