Following the recent cardiac emergency experienced by Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, as well as the lifesaving care he received from first responders and medical professionals, the Green Bay Packers have teamed up with their official healthcare provider, Bellin Health, to donate Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) and expand access to CPR and AED training.
The Packers will fund $100,000 toward providing 80 AEDs to eligible school and recreational sports leagues and facilities in need throughout Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Following distribution, Bellin Health will conduct around 15 four-hour training sessions to make sure each AED recipient has multiple representatives within their organization who are properly trained in CPR and AED use. Annual equipment checks will also be performed by Bellin team members to ensure all equipment is functioning properly.
The team's donation and collaboration with Bellin Health were announced at a press conference at Lambeau Field Wednesday.
"After seeing Damar Hamlin's shocking cardiac arrest and witnessing the incredible response from the emergency personnel and medical professionals who treated him, we recognized our responsibility to take action in our own community," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "Damar's injury also reminds us that cardiac emergencies are experienced each day throughout the country and our region. We're proud to work with Bellin Health to equip more athletic facilities and organizations with AEDs, as well as the tools and skills they need to save a life."
The Packers and Bellin Health will utilize existing networks and resources throughout the region to develop criteria and determine which organizations will be eligible to apply for the donated AEDs. Further information will be released in the near future. Recipients will be required to identify several representatives from their organization to complete the training program provided by Bellin Health.
"We are extremely grateful to the Green Bay Packers for this incredible donation of life-saving equipment to the communities we serve," said Bellin Health President Chris Woleske. "Access to this equipment combined with education surrounding how to provide aid in a cardiac emergency is proven to save lives."
Approximately 350,000 cardiac arrest events happen outside of hospitals each year, and unfortunately, around half of those people don't get the help they need until an ambulance arrives. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, more than 10,000 people statewide are hospitalized after a heart attack each year, including nearly 400 people annually in Brown County.
The Packers and Bellin Health are also working together to expand access to CPR and AED trainings throughout the region, with plans to offer a large-scale public training opportunity at Lambeau Field in the coming months, as well as regional training opportunities throughout the region. Additionally, the two organizations are collaborating to spread awareness for Hands-Only CPR, a form of CPR that is appropriate for members of the public who do not have any advanced medical training or experience. Hands-Only CPR can help save lives by providing initial life-saving efforts until first responders arrive.
The Packers and Bellin Health are partnering to have Hands-Only CPR training available at variety of upcoming community events featuring providers from Bellin Health, with Hands-Only CPR suitable for most ages and training sessions able to be completed in less than 10 minutes. To see a demonstration video of Hands-Only CPR, please click here.
More information regarding available training sessions will be announced in the coming months.
Bellin Health currently offers AED and CPR training opportunities throughout the year. If residents of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula are interested in attending a course or sharing this education with their community or organization, please click here to learn more. Additionally, the American Red Cross provides training opportunities across the country.
