1 Trained at
Every Game
Emory Healthcare
and Atlanta Falcons
team up to save lives.
Emory Healthcare and the Atlanta Falcons teamed up this fall to host the "1 Trained at Every Game" community event, aimed at empowering the community with life-saving skills.
Held on September 7, the event provided free, hands-only CPR and AED training to nearly 500 youth and adults.
The event aimed to equip youth players, parents, coaches and the general public with the skills to prevent sudden cardiac arrest-related deaths, a leading cause of fatalities among adults and student athletes. By empowering individuals with hands-only CPR and AED training, Emory Healthcare and the Falcons hoped to create a safer community where lives could be saved.
Jonathan Kim, MD, a sports cardiologist at Emory Healthcare and the team cardiologist for the Atlanta Falcons, emphasized the critical importance of immediate action in cardiac arrest situations.
He highlighted that timely CPR within the first few minutes significantly increases the chances of survival.
"This is how you save a life, and anybody can do it."
"The timing once your heart stops beating is critical. You only have about two to three minutes to begin CPR, and with a delay, the chance of death increases dramatically," Dr. Kim stressed.
Attendees learn life-saving skills.
Attendees learn life-saving skills.
By empowering individuals with CPR and AED training, Emory and the Falcons hope to create a safer community where lives could be saved.
Training the Community
The Atlanta Falcons and Emory Healthcare, the official team healthcare provider of the Falcons, are driven by a shared commitment to public health and safety.
Amadeus Mason, MD, a sports medicine physician at Emory Healthcare and an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at Emory University, led the hands-only CPR and AED training sessions. Dr. Mason emphasized the importance of recognizing signs of distress and taking immediate action.
"One of the signs that you look for when somebody is in distress is if they've collapsed. You can never be wrong going and checking out if someone is okay."
— Amadeus Mason, MD
Nana-Yaw Asamoah, chief commercial officer of AMB Sports and Entertainment, which includes the Atlanta Falcons, expressed the organization's dedication to extending exceptional care beyond professional athletes.
"We believe that exceptional care shouldn't be limited to professional athletes; we want everyone to be able to play sports and do that safely."
— Nana-Yaw Asamoah
Emory Healthcare used CPR manikins provided by the Emory Sports Medicine Center for training sessions held at the Home Depot Backyard outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium downtown. These hands-on training sessions allowed participants to practice their newly acquired skills under the guidance of experienced medical professionals.
Fun for the Fans
To create a festive and encouraging atmosphere, Freddie Falcon, Falcons cheerleaders, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens were on hand to support the participants. Mayor Dickens expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative and its potential to save lives.
"If they ever are in that emergency, they learn the skill to give people CPR and to administer an AED. It could save a life, and this is a skill I hope everybody gets."
— Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens
In addition to the CPR and AED training, attendees also participated in a session on the importance of creating emergency action plans. These plans outline specific procedures and steps to be taken in the event of an emergency, ensuring a coordinated response and maximizing the chances of a positive outcome.
The "1 Trained at Every Game" community event is one in a series of events expected to be held with many of Emory Healthcare’s partner teams to further empower individuals with life-saving skills.
By fostering a culture of preparedness and promoting community health, Emory Healthcare and the Atlanta Falcons plan to make a significant impact on the well-being of the community. As Dr. Kim emphasized, "This is how you save a life, and anybody can do it."
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