Sports teams assess safety protocols after Hamlin collapse

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Sports teams across the country are re-evaluating their safety policies after Bills safety, Damar Hamlin, collapsed on the field on Monday night.

Player safety is a concern on the minds of many as sports fans across the nation watched Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffer a cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game.

Joe Vincent’s granddaughter is a senior on the dance team at Lexington Christian Academy. He says you’re always going to worry about these student-athletes, but knowing how prepared the athletic trainers at school are, does put his mind at ease.

“They have a good group of people here. They react quickly,” Vincent said.

The Athletic Trainer at LCA, Cameron Deckett, says, thankfully, an NFL athletic trainer was able to get to Hamlin quickly to start CPR compressions and then use an AED. Deckett says an AED increases your chance of survival threefold in events like this one.

“The few minutes it takes waiting for that equipment to come, if the equipment isn’t already there, could be the difference between life and death for those individuals who experience a cardiac event or emergency event,” said Deckett.

Which is why there are several AEDs around the school building. Deckett is on standby at every practice and every game, and he and every coach are trained in CPR.

“Around all of our facilities, within just a couple of minutes, we have the ability to get the life-saving equipment that those student-athletes, or a parent, or spectator or a coach needs so they can increase their rate of survivals from an emergency accident,” said Deckett.

Deckett says he recommends any parents who are worried, to become CPR certified or learn how to use an AED.

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