Chicago Bears Partner with American Heart Association to Train Youth Athletes in CPR
TL;DR
The CPR and AED training at the IHSA Girls Flag Football State Finals gives athletes a competitive advantage in life-saving skills.
Participants used the Association’s CPR in Youth Sports Kits, learning the correct rate and depth of compressions and how to use an AED.
The training event is making the world a better place by increasing the chance for positive recovery in the community in the event of a cardiac emergency.
Compression-only CPR, known as Hands-Only CPR, can be equally effective as traditional CPR and is a skill everyone can learn.
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In a significant move to enhance community health and safety, the Chicago Bears and the American Heart Association (AHA) joined forces to provide critical lifesaving skills training at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Girls Flag Football State Finals on October 19. Over 150 youth athletes, coaches, and league administrators received instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
The importance of this training cannot be overstated. According to AHA data, 9 out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, partly due to the lack of immediate CPR in more than half of these cases. Prompt CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival, making widespread knowledge of this skill crucial for community health.
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, emphasized the critical nature of early recognition and action in cardiac emergencies. "This event with the Chicago Bears is helping to support that critical link in the community," Brown stated, highlighting the organization's commitment to empowering individuals with lifesaving skills.
The training utilized the AHA's CPR in Youth Sports Kits, which include manikins and AED training tools. Participants learned Hands-Only CPR, a compression-only technique that can be as effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of emergency response. This simplified approach makes it easier for more people to learn and perform CPR when needed.
Tanesha Wade, executive vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion & chief impact officer at the Chicago Bears, underscored the importance of this initiative in the context of the growing sport of flag football. "The athletes competing today are pioneers in this sport and will play a critical role in increasing awareness around CPR education and its impact on future generations of this sport," Wade noted.
This collaboration is part of a broader effort by the NFL and the AHA to improve cardiac emergency preparedness in youth sports. The Smart Heart Sports Coalition, of which the AHA is a founding member, is advocating for all 50 states to adopt policies that prevent fatal outcomes from cardiac arrest among high school students. With as many as 23,000 children under 18 experiencing cardiac arrest outside of hospitals annually, and about 40% of these occurring among student-athletes, such initiatives are vital for improving survival rates.
By bringing CPR training to youth sports events, the Chicago Bears and the AHA are not only equipping young athletes with potentially life-saving skills but also raising awareness about the importance of cardiac emergency preparedness in the wider community. This initiative represents a significant step towards creating a more resilient and health-conscious society, where more individuals are prepared to act swiftly and effectively in cardiac emergencies.
Curated from NewMediaWire
