DALLAS, April 1, 2024 — The American Heart Association and the Los Angeles Rams brought lifesaving education to 200 youth football participants, coaches and educators at a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training event that took place Saturday, March 30 at Verbum Dei Jesuit High School. According to American Heart Association data, nine out of every ten people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person's chance of survival.
"Our work with the Los Angeles Rams is a vital link in the chain of survival when seconds matter and are the difference between life and death," says Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "Together we have hosted multiple CPR trainings over the past year to help the community be confident and capable of responding in a cardiac emergency. We have seen a direct result with the life of a three-year-old boy saved just 12 days after our first CPR education session with the Rams, marking the first CPR save directly tied to our collaborative work. In our centennial year, our future is about improving yours."
The Rams welcomed 175 players and coaches from the Watts Rams and North East Lincoln Rams youth football programs as well as 25 educators from Verbum Dei Jesuit High School for AED and CPR training. Hands-Only CPR participants learned the correct rate and depth of compressions and how to use an AED. Compression-only CPR, known as Hands-Only CPR, can be equally effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of emergency response and is a skill everyone can learn. It is 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. Following the training, CPR in Youth Sports Kits, used for Hands-Only CPR education, were gifted to the Watts Rams and North East Lincoln Rams to allow for continued education within their programs.
"The Rams are committed to furthering the NFL's initiative to promote CPR education at all levels of football. With the proper training and equipment, we can better respond to emergencies and save lives," said Johnathan Franklin, Rams director of social justice and football development. "With the support of the American Heart Association we have been able to educate our coaches and staff as well as local high school football coaches. We're grateful to continue our partnership with American Heart Association to equip the Watts Rams and North East Lincoln Rams with essential AED and CPR resources."
The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and publishes the official guidelines for CPR. With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside of the hospital occurring in homes, knowing how to perform CPR is critically important. More than 350,000 people in the US have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year. CPR, especially if performed immediately, could double or triple a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival[1].
Now in their 100th year of providing lifesaving service, the American Heart Association is continuing its mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives, providing health and hope to everyone, everywhere. The Nation of Lifesavers™ movement is the Association's most recent demonstration of that commitment with the declaration to double survival rates of cardiac emergency by 2030. The sudden cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during Monday Night Football in January 2023 is the spark that ignited the American Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers commitment. Hamlin, currently serving as the national ambassador, champions work alongside the Association to add lifesavers to the chain of survival where fans live, work and play.
Earlier this year, the NFL launched The Smart Heart Sports Coalition in collaboration with the NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL, NCAA and others including the American Heart Association. The goal of the national campaign is to prevent death from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) among high school athletes by advocating for all 50 states to adopt evidence-based policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from SCA among high school students. As many as 23,000 people under the age of 18 experience SCA annually (out-of-hospital)[2]. It is a leading cause of death for student athletes. Sports-related SCA accounted for nearly 40% of SCAs among people under the age of 18. If implemented across all 50 states, these simple, cost-effective strategies can prevent deaths from SCA[3]. The Rams CPR education events support this work in Los Angeles.
- Spanish news release
- Bystander CPR | Bystander CPR Infographic (PDF)
- Hands-Only CPR Resources
- Hands-Only CPR vs CPR with Breaths
- Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack
- Reducing Disparities for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest – Community Toolkit: English and Spanish versions available
- Take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life at www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.
