Why an NFL star is teaming up with Zoll to educate the public on the importance of AEDs and swift action in cardiac emergencies.
During a highly televised NFL game, Damar Hamlin, a professional football player, experienced commotio cordis – a rare, life-threatening condition that occurs when a blow to the chest disrupts the heart’s rhythm and leads to sudden cardiac arrest. Viewers of the game witnessed Hamlin get tackled, stand up for a second or two, and then immediately collapse. At that moment, Hamlin was considered clinically deceased because he wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse.
“Fans of both professional teams looked very scared, and everyone could tell that this was not a normal event. This type of medical issue happens occasionally in sports such as lacrosse, softball, or different events where a person can get hit in the chest. It is important to know that commotio cordis can happen to anybody,” said Jonathan Bowman, Senior Director of Alternate Care Markets at ZOLL, in a recent Repertoire podcast episode with Scott Adams. “There were no issues with his heart prior to this incident.”
Following the incident, communities across the nation began to realize just how crucial it is to have AEDs accessible in public spaces, and to be prepared for sudden cardiac emergencies.
To boost the public’s confidence in working with AEDs, ZOLL has teamed up with Damar Hamlin to promote “Anything Can Happen. Anyone Can Help,” a national public awareness campaign aimed at debunking myths about AEDs and informing the public as to how everyday heroes can be empowered to act quickly in the event of cardiac emergency.
“Our campaign’s goal, with Hamlin’s help, and the many others who are also advocacy partners with us, is to make AEDs as familiar and accessible as fire extinguishers; positioning them as essential life-saving tools that anyone can and should use in emergency,” said Bowman. “This includes informing the public with clear and easy to follow instructions on the life-saving process of using an AED.”
ZOLL tackles AED awareness
There are approximately 350,000 cardiac arrests that occur outside of the hospital in the U.S. each year, according to the CDC. The first three to five minutes of cardiac arrest is the most crucial time for a victim to have the highest chance of survival. For this reason, there is an urgent need for bystanders to feel confident and capable of using an AED to help save a life.
Hamlin’s story has had a nationwide impact, with the number of capital bills related to cardiac emergency response being passed or becoming active went from three in 2021 and 2022 to nine in 2023 and 36 in 2024. The HEARTS Act that was signed into law by the President, ensures that schools nationwide have cardiac emergency response plans in place, and that students and staff are trained in CPR, and campuses are equipped with an AED.
Bowman said, “This campaign has really helped people feel comfortable with taking action and getting involved, whether it’s in a real rescue or just getting out in their communities so that more folks can have access to AEDs.”