Howard University's football team has taken a significant step toward community health by participating in Hands-Only CPR training with the American Heart Association (AHA). The team learned essential skills to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, potentially increasing survival rates for individuals experiencing cardiac emergencies.
According to AHA data, 9 out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, often because immediate CPR is not administered. By learning proper compression techniques, the team joins the Nation of Lifesavers movement, which aims to double sudden cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030.
The training is particularly crucial given that approximately 350,000 people in the United States experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually. For student-athletes, the risk is significant, with nearly 23,000 children under 18 experiencing cardiac events outside medical facilities each year.
Howard University's head football coach, Larry Scott, emphasized the importance of this training, noting the potential to save lives when it matters most. The team will further support CPR awareness by creating social media public service announcements during the AHA's CPR and AED awareness week in June.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by the American Heart Association and the Smart Heart Sports Coalition to promote life-saving skills and policies. By educating young athletes, the program seeks to create a network of potential lifesavers who can respond effectively during critical medical emergencies.
