The New York Giants Foundation has partnered with the American Heart Association to enhance cardiac emergency preparedness in local New Jersey schools by providing critical CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) training resources to 12 school districts.
The initiative addresses a critical public health challenge: nearly 90% of people experiencing cardiac arrest outside hospitals do not survive, often due to delayed or absent CPR intervention. By training students, faculty, and staff in CPR techniques, the program aims to increase community readiness to respond effectively during medical emergencies.
Twelve school districts, including Hackensack, Springfield, New Milford, and others, received comprehensive CPR in Schools kits. Each kit contains 10 Hands-Only CPR manikins and 10 AED training tools, enabling widespread training across school communities. Three participating schools additionally received AED devices, further enhancing their emergency response capabilities.
The training focuses on compression-only CPR, a simplified technique that can be equally effective in the initial emergency response. This approach makes lifesaving skills more accessible, allowing more people to confidently intervene during cardiac emergencies.
This program aligns with broader national efforts like the NFL's Smart Heart Sports Coalition, which seeks to implement evidence-based policies preventing fatal cardiac events among students. Statistical data reveals approximately 23,000 individuals under 18 experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually, with nearly 40% related to sports activities.
By empowering school communities with critical emergency response skills, the Giants Foundation and American Heart Association are creating a proactive approach to potential life-threatening situations. The initiative demonstrates how targeted training and resource allocation can significantly improve community health outcomes and potentially save lives.
