DUMFRIES, Va. — Cheers turned to concern during Monday Night Football on Jan. 2 when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field. The cause -- cardiac arrest.
Hamlin had to be resuscitated on the field during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, which was temporarily suspended and later cancelled altogether by the NFL. On Friday, Hamlin's agent reported that he was breathing on his own and able to talk after having his breathing tube removed.
But this incident, which was seen across TVs and quickly spread across social media, sparked national conversations on heart health and what to do if ever in a similar situation. Courtney Bulger, National Capital Area Chapter Executive Director for the American Red Cross, weighed in on the conversation stating the importance of knowing life-saving methods such as CPR.
"Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical issue and can happen to anyone at any age. And it is different than a heart attack. There really are no signs of a sudden cardiac arrest, someone just goes down and maybe doesn't have a pulse," Bulger said. "And that is why - time is of the essence to call 911, find that AED, and start compressions immediately. But, no real signs, certainly can happen any age, any person and that's why it is so scary because it is sudden cardiac arrest."
Across the country, every year, 2.2 million people go through the Red Cross training classes, Bulger stated.
"And you know, there's many partners of ours that also do CPR training," Bulger said. "Many people are trained, but there are still a lot of people that could benefit from taking the training. It is only a few hours. I mean you could save a life by just taking a course for a few hours."
The incident surrounding the Monday night game is one example of why CPR is essential for people to know and learn, Bulger said.
"Hopefully people are seeing that being trained in CPR, in AED, and in first aid is essential," Bulger emphasized.
She believes that everyone should be certified, with classes not only in person but online - people are able to take classes from the privacy of their own homes.
"It is important that everyone knows what to do in times of an emergency," Bulger said. "Knowing especially to stay calm, but also feeling confident by being trained that you have some experience that you could help someone in a bad situation."