The American Coronary heart Affiliation and the NFL workforce began the HeartBEAT initiative in 2023 to extend bystander CPR abilities after Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest throughout a sport.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- HeartBEAT Initiative Growth – The American Coronary heart Affiliation and the Buffalo Payments are persevering with their partnership to supply Palms-Solely CPR and AED coaching to Western New York communities, aiming to double sudden cardiac arrest survival charges by 2030.
- Free CPR Training & Tools – The initiative consists of CPR coaching at numerous group occasions and youth sports activities organizations, with 200 coaching kits being distributed to make sure widespread entry to life-saving abilities.
- Rising CPR Readiness – Efforts like HeartBEAT have contributed to a rise in People’ confidence in performing CPR, with survey knowledge displaying an increase from 30% to 35% in CPR readiness between 2021 and 2023.
For the third 12 months, the American Coronary heart Affiliation and the Buffalo Payments are working collectively to carry compression-only CPR (Palms-Solely CPR) and automatic exterior defibrillator (AED) coaching and tools to group occasions, organizations and youth sports activities teams throughout Western New York.
Recognized in the neighborhood because the HeartBeat initiative, this work is including extra individuals to the Affiliation’s Nation of Lifesavers motion, which intends to double sudden cardiac arrest survival charges by 2030.
By way of the HeartBEAT program, CPR schooling will likely be free on the following occasions and places:
Buffalo Public Faculties Summit | Saturday, June 7, 2025 11:00 am to 2:00 pm |
All-Excessive Stadium, 2885 Principal St, Buffalo, NY 14214 |
Buffalo Payments Coaching Camp | Summer time 2025 | St. John Fisher College, Rochester, 3690 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618 |
Buffalo CycleNation | Fall 2025 | Buffalo Payments Subject Home, 1 Payments Dr, Orchard Park, NY 14127 |
HeartBEAT Recreation Day | Fall 2025 | Highmark Stadium, 1 Payments Dr, Orchard Park, NY 14127 |
Begun in 2023, the five-year, $1 million greenback dedication by the Buffalo Payments to coach hundreds of Western New Yorkers on the proper charge and depth of compressions for Palms Solely CPR and develop into part of the Affiliation’s Nation of Lifesavers. The American Coronary heart Affiliation launched the Nation of Lifesavers motion in 2023 following the sudden cardiac arrest of Buffalo Payments’ participant Damar Hamlin throughout Monday Evening Soccer™.

The Nation of Lifesavers and the collaboration with the NFL is the Affiliation’s most up-to-date demonstration of its dedication to CPR schooling with the aim to double survival charges of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030.1
“Realizing methods to reply in a cardiac emergency when seconds matter is actually the distinction between life and demise. By bringing these lifesaving CPR demonstrations to the group, we’re assembly individuals the place they’re,” mentioned Megan Vargulick, Western New York government director of the American Coronary heart Affiliation. “The HeartBEAT initiative and our collaboration with the Buffalo Payments are including extra lifesavers in Western New York.”
Along with the hands-on schooling efforts, the American Coronary heart Affiliation and the Buffalo Payments will proceed their shared concentrate on CPR schooling for youth sports activities coaches. All through the initiative, 200 CPR & First Assist in Youth Sports activities coaching kits will likely be positioned within the Western New York group. These coaching kits are designed for youth coaches to make sure they and their group know the lifesaving abilities of CPR, methods to use an AED, and methods to assist throughout sports-related emergencies. Every equipment can practice roughly 300 individuals per 12 months. Within the first two years of this system, 62 kits have been positioned within the Western New York group. For data on methods to request a equipment for a youth sports activities group, go to the American Coronary heart Affiliation’s HeartBeat web site.
“The Payments stay devoted to advancing CPR schooling all through the Western New York group,” mentioned Michelle Roberts, vp of group impression of the Buffalo Payments. “Along with the American Coronary heart Affiliation we’re proud to proceed providing academic alternatives to empower our group with the lifesaving abilities of Palms-Solely CPR.”
Learn extra: Cleveland Browns Accomplice to Distribute AEDs to Northeast Ohio Faculties
Efforts just like the HeartBeat initiative are making a distinction. Extra People than ever say they’re now able to carry out CPR in emergencies, in accordance with newly launched survey knowledge from the American Coronary heart Affiliation.2 Latest efforts by the Affiliation to create a Nation of Lifesavers with companions just like the NFL have boosted CPR readiness. The share of surveyed adults within the U.S. who say they now really feel they’ve the arrogance to carry out CPR elevated from 30% to 35% from 2021 to 2023.3
At present, greater than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen exterior of hospitals in america yearly. Almost 3 out of 4 these cardiac arrests occur in properties. Fast, easy and easy-to-learn, Palms-Solely CPR has been proven to be as efficient within the first couple of minutes as typical CPR for cardiac arrest at dwelling, at work or in public.4 It is so simple as calling 911 in case you see a teen or grownup all of a sudden collapse after which push arduous and quick within the middle of the chest.
References
- 2023 HOCPR Insights survey, American Coronary heart Affiliation (out there by request)
Picture: Buffalo Payments Heartbeat Cardiac Consciousness Program brand. © Buffalo Payments (NFL) through
