The Buffalo Bills are entering the third year of their HeartBEAT initiative with the American Heart Association, providing free compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training across Western New York. This five-year, $1 million commitment follows the sudden cardiac arrest of Bills player Damar Hamlin during Monday Night Football in 2023, which catalyzed the program's creation with the goal of creating more lifesavers in the community.
The program will offer hands-on CPR education at multiple community events, including the Buffalo Public Schools Summit, Buffalo Bills Training Camp, Buffalo CycleNation, and a HeartBEAT Game Day at Highmark Stadium. Recent survey data indicates progress, with the percentage of adults feeling confident to perform CPR increasing from 30% to 35% between 2021 and 2023. This growth demonstrates the initiative's impact in building community resilience against cardiac emergencies.
A key component involves distributing 200 CPR and First Aid in Youth Sports training kits throughout Western New York. Each kit can potentially train approximately 300 people annually, with 62 kits already placed in the community during the first two years. The American Heart Association provides resources and guidance for these training efforts, which are accessible through their official website at https://www.heart.org.
The urgency of the program is underscored by national cardiac arrest statistics: more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals annually in the United States, with nearly 75% happening in homes. Hands-Only CPR has been demonstrated to be as effective as conventional CPR in the critical first minutes of a cardiac emergency. This makes community-wide training particularly vital, as immediate response often determines survival outcomes.
Megan Vargulick, Western New York executive director of the American Heart Association, emphasized the life-saving potential of the program, stating that knowing how to respond in a cardiac emergency can mean the difference between life and death. The initiative represents a significant public health investment that extends beyond sports, addressing a critical gap in emergency preparedness. As the program continues through its five-year timeline, it aims to transform Western New York into a region where more residents are equipped to act during cardiac emergencies, potentially saving hundreds of lives through increased training and awareness.
