CHELMSFORD, Mass. — ZOLL Medical said it is expanding its national “Anything Can Happen. Anyone Can Help.” campaign to improve cardiac emergency readiness at youth sports venues across the country.
The Chelmsford-based medical device company, part of Asahi Kasei, said the next phase of the campaign will focus on AED education, access and registration in places where young athletes compete and communities gather.
ZOLL said sudden cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of death among young athletes, and about 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur nationwide each year. The company said immediate CPR and defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator can significantly improve survival before emergency responders arrive.
The campaign builds on ZOLL’s work with pro football player and cardiac arrest survivor Damar Hamlin. The company said the expanded effort will include national collaborations, athlete ambassadors and initiatives to make AEDs easier to find and use at youth sports facilities.
“Sudden cardiac arrest doesn’t wait for trained responders,” said Keith Reynolds, head of ZOLL’s Public Safety business. “That’s why ZOLL is working to ensure AEDs are visible and ready to use where young athletes play so spectators are empowered to act in the critical moments before EMS can arrive.”
ZOLL said many parents overestimate cardiac emergency preparedness in youth sports. Citing recent data, the company said 57% of parents mistakenly believe all youth coaches are required to have CPR and AED training, 53% do not know whether their child’s sports practice or game facility has an AED, and 50% believe all youth sports teams have access to a team AED even though most U.S. states do not specifically mandate one.
The company also said AEDs may be installed at venues but not clearly marked or easy to locate. According to ZOLL, only 22% of parents say they know where to find the nearest AED at a youth sporting event.
ZOLL said the National Emergency AED Registry, known as NEAR, and its integration with the PulsePoint app can help make AEDs searchable in real time by bystanders and first responders. The company said about 212,000 of an estimated 1.1 million AEDs deployed nationwide are currently registered.
As part of the campaign, ZOLL said it is working with the RCX Sports Foundation to provide AEDs through grant programs and help youth league administrators prepare for emergencies through education and a league-wide webinar, with an emphasis on underserved communities.
The company also said it will continue its “Anyone Can Register” call to action, encouraging volunteers and organizations to enroll AEDs in NEAR so the devices can be located quickly during emergencies. ZOLL said it and other organizations plan to begin activities in New England in early summer to increase AED registration and visibility.
ZOLL said Fenway Park will serve as a model for cardiac emergency preparedness. As the provider of the official AED of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park, the company said it will install ZOLL AEDs, train staff, educate spectators and demonstrate a broader readiness system at the ballpark.
The campaign will also add four collegiate athletes to a ZOLL-produced digital series with Hamlin, aimed at expanding awareness of how AEDs can help bystanders respond during cardiac emergencies.
