More than half of people who experience sudden cardiac arrest out of hospital don’t receive immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), leaving a critical gap in survival. To save more lives, the American Heart Association, devoted to a world of healthier lives for all, and the Buffalo Bills are working together to bring more Hands-Only CPR demonstrations and equipment to community events, organizations and youth sports groups across Western New York through the HeartBEAT initiative.
The program, launched in 2023, is a five-year, $1 million dollar commitment by the Buffalo Bills to educate thousands of Western New Yorkers in Hands-Only CPR. The project is adding more people to the Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which intends to double survival rates by 2030.
For the fourth year of the HeartBEAT initiative, the American Heart Association and the Buffalo Bills will bring CPR demonstrations and education to community events teaching participants the correct rate and depth of compressions.
CPR education will be free at the following events and locations:
- 716 CommUNITY Day on Thursday, July 16, 3–7 p.m. at MLK Jr. Park, Buffalo
- CPR in Youth Spors Training Kit distribution event, Monday, July 20, 4:30-7:00p.m. at Harris Hill Volunteer Fire Company, Clarence
- Buffalo Bills Training Camp during all open practices, Wednesday, July 29 through Friday, August 7, at St. John Fisher University, Rochester
- Return of the Blue & Red practice on Saturday, August 8, 4–7p.m. at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park
- Erie County Fair on Wednesday, August 12 through Sunday, August 23 at The Fairgrounds, Hamburg
- HeartBEAT Game Day on Saturday, August 15 at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park
- Buffalo CycleNation taking place in fall 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center, Orchard Park
More events will be announced as they are planned.
“Knowing how to respond in a cardiac emergency when seconds matter is literally the difference between life and death. By bringing these lifesaving CPR demonstrations to the community, we are meeting people where they are,” said Megan Vargulick, executive director of the American Heart Association in Rochester. “The HeartBEAT initiative and our collaboration with the Buffalo Bills are adding more lifesavers in Western New York.”
“The Bills remain dedicated to advancing CPR education throughout the Western New York community,” said Michelle Roberts, vice president of community impact of the Buffalo Bills and executive director of the Buffalo Bills Foundation. “Together with the American Heart Association we are proud to continue offering educational opportunities to empower our community with the lifesaving skills of Hands-Only CPR.”
In addition to the hands-on education efforts, the Heart Association and the Buffalo Bills will continue their shared focus on CPR education for youth sports coaches. Throughout the initiative, 200 CPR & First Aid in Youth Sports training kits will be placed in the Western New York community. These training kits are designed for youth coaches to ensure they and their community know the lifesaving skills of CPR, how to use an AED, and how to help during sports-related emergencies. Each kit can train approximately 300 people per year. For information on how to request a kit for a youth sports organization, visit the Heart Association’s HeartBEAT initiative website.
According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die. This is in part because they do not receive immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.
The American Heart Association, a global force devoted to changing the future in pursuit of healthier lives for all, mobilized its Nation of Lifesavers™ movement in 2023 with a goal to double survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest for everyone, ensuring more people at home, work, school and even online have learned lifesaving CPR skills.
Nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests happen at home, making it important for more people to know how to respond. If a teen or adult collapses, witnesses should immediately take action calling 9-1-1 emergency services and beginning chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute and a depth of approximately two inches. Hands-Only CPR is chest compression-only CPR for adults. Infants and children require traditional CPR with breaths. Learn CPR today, visit www.heart.org/nation.