Athletic Trainer Saves Student's Life - Their Story

March 29, 2024

Athletic Trainers play a crucial role in the Cardiac Arrest Chain of Survival at all levels of sports. As we wrap up Athletic Training Month, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Jeremy Parr, Head Athletic Trainer and Assistant Director of Athletics at Loyola Blakefield college preparatory school to talk about his experience in helping to save a life from sudden cardiac arrest.

Defibtech:

Why did you become an athletic trainer?

Jeremy:

I became an athletic trainer because I have always loved athletics and have been drawn to medicine, anatomy, and how the body functions. I knew in high school when I was a 3-sport athlete that I wasn’t good enough to continue my athletic career in college so I wanted to find a career that appealed to my interests and kept me closely involved with athletics. This profession has been perfect for me because I get to do a couple things I really enjoy; watch athletics and care for others in a way that positively impacts their day, week, month, year, or life.

Defibtech:

Can you talk about the AED program at your school?

Jeremy:

We currently have 17 AEDs on campus. We have 3 outdoor units mounted in strategic locations dedicated to outdoor athletic facilities, 2 mobile devices that travel with the 2 athletic trainers, and 12 devices located in buildings throughout our campus ensuring that regardless of where a possible cardiac event may occur, someone on campus can respond with a device in timely manner. Our school leadership team saw the value in training and having devices placed appropriately so we hired an AED/CPR group to assess our program and certify the entire staff. All internal coaches are certified. Coaches who are non-school employees are encouraged to get certification and given an opportunity to. Students are given training in CPR and AED as part of their 10th grade health curriculum.

Defibtech:

Can you give a summary of what happened on the day you helped save one of your student-athletes’ lives?

Jeremy:

In April 2022, during a varsity lacrosse game, one of our defenders took a ball to his chest from a high-speed shot from about 5 feet away. Play continued, but our athlete collapsed about 7-8 seconds later. I ran onto the field along with our team physician and a student athletic trainer. When we reached the athlete he was prone, non-responsive, presented with agonal breathing and had no pulse. We immediately log rolled him to his back, removed his helmet, re-checked his pulse and still could not find a carotid or radial pulse. At this point we identified a sudden cardiac arrest and I called for the AED on the sideline to the athletic trainer from the visiting team. The attending physician immediately began chest compressions, and we enacted our Emergency Action Plan by calling EMS. I applied the AED pads while the physician continued chest compressions. The AED analyzed a shockable rhythm, we cleared, and discharged a shock. The physician continued compressions and before his 2nd round of compressions another physician on site was monitoring vitals and felt a radial pulse. Prior to the next rhythm being analyzed, we had a spontaneous “awakening” where he opened his eyes and tried sitting up. He was dazed and confused but awake. He was communicating and speaking with all of us even before EMS arrived. He asked what happened and if he could return to play! He was transported, admitted, and monitored for 2 days at the hospital. He was released and followed by a sports cardiologist and ultimately cleared to return 3 weeks after his incident.

Defibtech:

Is there anything you learned from this event? No matter how much training we get, nothing is like the real experience of putting the training into action.

Jeremy:

That point exactly – I honestly never anticipated this type of event happening. Now that it has, I run through as many possible scenarios in my head prior to games. Where are emergency devices I may need, what are transportation patterns, and can EMS arrive and leave effectively? Who is the point person at every athletic event, who is trained, who can help, and in what capacity? We discuss with any supporting medical personnel before every game what our plan would be. The key is having a plan, personnel and devices in play, BEFORE the emergency occurs.

Defibtech:

What advice would you give other athletic trainers on setting up a complete AED program?

Jeremy:

Make sure AED’s are accessible at any location where events are occurring. In our debriefing we realized that we needed to add outdoor units in the event school buildings are locked and the Athletic Trainer is not on-site. Have a plan and triage of communication, response, equipment, treatment, crowd control are all factors in play.

Defibtech:

We know that youth sports don't always have the same resources as schools. What advice would you give to youth sports organizations about being prepared for sudden cardiac arrest?

Jeremy:

I received a phone call from a college friend shortly after he learned of our “save.” He is the coordinator of a youth lacrosse program in his area. They practice at a complex that has 8 fields, and has an AED in a shed that is probably a 5-minute jog to get to and could be locked or could be unlocked. AEDs need to be accessible within 1-2 minutes. I would encourage all youth sport leaders to talk to people in the community, parents, hospitals, local organizations – there are grants and other programs and devices are really affordable now as well. No organization should take the position of “hoping” they will be OK in an emergency. Hope is not a plan. Be proactive and responsible for making the commitment to protect the kids in their organization and not assume a location where they travel may have one.

Defibtech:

Feel free to add anything else that you think would help other organizations/people be prepared to help save a life!

Jeremy:

An emergency can happen anywhere or anytime to anyone. We can’t possibly be prepared for every single scenario, but having an EAP, medical personnel, and proper equipment can certainly increase survival. I will reiterate, hope is not a plan!

To learn more about Defibtech, and to join us on our quest to save lives from sudden cardiac arrest, visit www.Defibtech.com.