Importance of CPR amid Damar Hamlin collapse

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - The quick response of CPR and an AED machine during Monday night’s Bills and Bengals game where Bills player Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after collapsing on the field gave him a better chance of surviving, according to first responders.

”For every minute that goes by without compressions, the person’s chances of survival go down by 10%, and that’s not even talking about the quality of life that’s talking about survival,” Fiona Albertson, fire and life safety technician at Rockingham County Fire & Rescue said.

Now, they are urging everyone to take CPR certification classes and learn what to do if they were to be present during a similar situation.

“What lay people are supposed to look for is normal breathing,” Albertson said. “So if somebody not breathing normally, they’re not breathing that normal 12 to 20 times a minute for an adult, they’re making snoring respirations, they’re very slow that’s not normal breathing -- that’s an indication of cardiac arrest.”

Albertson said learning CPR is simple but the more education the better.

“Immediately contacting 911 to get ambulance crews on the way is very important and then starting compressions,” Albertson said.

Albertson said local emergency service agencies hold CPR certification classes frequently.

She said the American Red Cross offers classes and education in CPR and AED usage.

If you are looking for local instructors to get CPR trained and certified, Albertson said to email her at falbertson@rockinghamcountyva.gov or reach out to your local fire and rescue department.