The medical emergency suffered by Damar Hamlin was horrific for his family and friends, and for those watching on TV and in attendance, the experience was just as awful. To watch the real-life struggle of someone fighting from their life while medical providers work tirelessly to help this person survive is something few actually experience. Watching the reactions of the players and staff that knew Mr. Hamlin personally provided just a glimpse of what prehospital providers witness every day, sometimes multiple times in a work shift.
Outside of TV shows, this experience is often played out among a small group of people, bystanders, police, fire, EMS – and of course their family and friends and not with millions watching. But this type of event as reported by the American Heart Association occurs at a rate of over 1,000 times a day.1 What we witnessed was an emergency medical team work as quickly and efficiently as possible and the best possible outcome was achieved, through the quick actions of the team. Sadly, this is not the usual outcome and 90% of those suffering a cardiac event will not survive. Through the quick actions of Denny Kellington and the rest of the medical personal on scene that night Mr. Hamlin was able to watch the Buffalo Bills play and win their game just one week later.
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The truth of the matter in the U.S., in 2015 the average response time of an ambulance crew to an emergency scene was 12 minutes in an urban setting, 14 minutes in a suburban setting and 26 minutes in a rural setting. By contrast, the care Mr. Hamlin received started just seconds after his event.2 By having many directly involved in Mr. Hamlin’s care, it was this quick response that has contributed to his survival and recovery.
With the current status of EMS in the U.S., the question becomes is there anything we as a nation can do to have the outcome of events more like the miracle of Mr. Hamlin’s? We are seeing many articles and stories about CPR in the news today, but the level of CPR and associated treatments described in the events surrounding Mr. Hamlin requires highly trained and educated medical providers. With a wait on average of 14 minutes of EMS response, is there something that the general public can do to help improve the victim’s chances?
With traditional CPR, the need to ventilate or blow air into the victim’s mouth is needed, but without a safety barrier many are afraid to do “mouth to mouth” ventilations. In 2012, the American Heart Association and the British Heart Association began the Hands-Only campaign in an attempt to encourage more bystanders to feel comfortable providing CPR. The Vinnie Jones’ “Push Hard Push Fast” campaign to the tune of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin Alive” began to circulate.
The American Heart Association has their Two Step hands-only CPR campaign as well in an attempt to change the current statistics.
Hands-only CPR has been shown to have positive impacts during such events and provides more time for EMS to arrive with more advanced care. The 14-minute response average can be filled with beneficial treatments that anyone can do safely. Through the hands-only CPR campaigns and community involvement, we have the potential to turn these statistics around in the US and have more miracle stories such as Mr. Hamlin’s.
References
- https://www.sca-aware.org/about-sudden-cardiac-arrest/latest-statistics#:~:text=The%20American%20Heart%20Association%20has,nearly%2090%25%20of%20them%20fatal.
- Mell HK, Mumma SN, Hiestand B, Carr BG, Holland T, Stopyra J. Emergency Medical Services Response Times in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Areas. JAMA Surg. 2017 Oct 1;152(10):983-984. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.2230. PMID: 28724118; PMCID: PMC5831456.
