Boise State Athletics
Bronco Athletics: Empowering Others to Save Lives
7/3/2023 11:00:00 AM | General, Broncos United
Empowering Others to Save Lives
CPR training is just one of many valuable tools offered by the Sports Performance, Health and Wellness team to strengthen Bronco Athletics and impact student-athletes, coaches and staff.
Tyler Smith, Director of Athletic Training Services, was one of many who watched athletic trainers and medical staff perform life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin on ESPN during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
It was a standard tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.Â
Hamlin wrapped his arms around his opponent's shoulder and helmet to drag him down after Higgins' right shoulder hit him in the chest.
Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, then fell backward seconds later and lay motionless on the field.
For nearly 20 minutes, a worldwide audience watched medical personnel deliver rapid treatment, including CPR, before taking Hamlin via ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
The immediate response by athletic trainers and medical staff to quickly recognize the seriousness of the situation, and immediately perform CPR, saved his life.
As the primary CPR instructor for Boise State Athletics, Smith had a long-term goal to expand CPR training beyond coaches, athletic trainers, and performance staff. The Hamlin injury and response were a reminder that emergencies can happen at any time, to anyone, and anywhere and was the motivation for Smith to move forward to provide CPR training to all Bronco staff.
Amid the national dialogue on emergency preparedness and the importance of CPR training, senior staff approved that CPR training would become a mandatory department initiative.
With the help of athletics personnel services, Smith began to design a schedule to train and re-certify more than 175 staff members. Over the next three months, Smith led eight courses and certified 80% of the staff. Smith's approach to the training was three-fold.
* Prepare staff to play any role they want to play as the emergency unfolds.
* Create a culture of action that motivates staff to respond immediately.
* Provide the tools staff needs to handle any emergency situation.
During the training, staff took turns practicing the steps of both emergency procedures, which included performing compressions on mannequins, delivering rescue breaths for CPR and correctly setting up and operating an AED. Their certification will last for two years.
"You just never know when an emergency will pop up," said Smith. "The more you can be prepared, the better."
Smith grew up in Boise and became a Bronco fan early on. It was at Centennial High School he first learned about the athletic training field. Now in his 19th season, he realizes the value of athletic trainers even more.
"Athletic trainers are a jack of all trades," said Smith. "We have learned how to find solutions with limited resources."
Moving forward, Smith plans to offer rolling CPR training courses every quarter to ensure staff has the proper training to respond to any type of medical emergency, on the field, in the workplace or at home.
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