NFL Carolina Panthers players, PSL Owners and Tepper Sports & Entertainment staff complete CPR training

(NewMediaWire) – April 03, 2023 – CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Today, Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) staff members as well as some Panthers players and the team’s PSL Owners (season ticket holders) completed the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver® CPR AED (automated external defibrillator) course, which provides the highest quality evidence-based training in the lifesaving skills of CPR, as well as the appropriate use of an AED. Adding lifesavers to the chain of survival in the Charlotte community through CPR training and education is a priority for David and Nicole Tepper and the Tepper Sports & Entertainment organization following Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football on Jan. 2.

“This past season, we were all moved by the sudden cardiac event experienced by Damar Hamlin and the immediate actions of the skilled personnel who administered lifesaving CPR,” said Nicole Tepper. “Damar’s experience highlights the critical importance for CPR training. We are pleased to offer our staff the opportunity to complete this course, and we pledge our commitment to the importance of CPR training to our community. The more people who know CPR, the more lives we can save.”

Atrium Health, the team’s official health care partner, provided the opportunity for PSL Owners to join in the event by learning Hands-Only CPR. Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective in the first few minutes as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest at home, at work or in public.

The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and publishes the official guidelines for CPR. With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside of the hospital occurring in homes, knowing how to perform CPR is critically important. More than 350,000 people in the US have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year. CPR, especially if performed immediately, could double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.

“When the world saw Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest event on Monday Night Football, what they also saw were those very first links in the chain of survival working. Everything happened like it should in a cardiac arrest emergency. This includes, early recognition, calling 911 with responders immediately on the scene, administering high-quality CPR, and having access to, and using an Automated External Defibrillator,” says Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “Knowing how to respond in a cardiac emergency when seconds matter is literally the difference between life and death. We are so proud to stand alongside Tepper Sports and Entertainment and the Carolina Panthers to educate and add more lifesavers in the community.”

Damar Hamlin joined the participants in person for the event held at the Panthers’ Atrium Health Dome in uptown Charlotte. Panthers players in attendance included Jeremey Chinn, Marquis Haynes, Johnny Hekker, Chuba Hubbard, Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble.

The training is the final step in the formal credentialing process for the Tepper Sports & Entertainment staff, who completed the cognitive portion of the Heartsaver® course prior to the event. Those who complete the course are empowered to act with confidence in the event of an emergency at work, home or in the community. During the program, participants heard remarks from Brown, Hamlin, Nicole Tepper, Carolina Panthers head athletic trainer Kevin King, Sherry Saxonhouse, M.D., director of the Atrial Fibrillation Center of Excellence at Atrium Health and incoming American Heart Association – Charlotte volunteer board president, and Dermot Phelan, M.D., director of Atrium Health Sanger Heart and Vascular Sports Cardiology Center.

Reflecting the urgency of this priority, the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation made a gift to the American Heart Association to support the ongoing mission.

Today’s CPR training and education programming continues Tepper Sports & Entertainment’s use of Bank of America Stadium and the Atrium Health Dome as community assets. In addition to hosting this event at the Atrium Health Dome, Bank of America Stadium has served as an early voting site, hosting nearly 20,000 voters total during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles and as a COVID vaccination site in 2021, providing nearly 117,000 vaccinations.

Multimedia available on the right column of the release link.

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.   

About Tepper Sports & Entertainment

Founded by David A. Tepper, Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) includes the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, MLS’ Charlotte Football Club and Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Serving the Carolinas, TSE is committed to making the greater Charlotte metro area the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the region. Bank of America Stadium hosted 39 events in 2022, nearly tripling the number of events at the Stadium in 2017 (14). The wide range of events attracted diverse audiences interested in the NFL, MLS, concerts and college football games. In addition to being a top sports and entertainment venue, Bank of America Stadium is a community asset. The Stadium served as an early voting site in 2020 and 2022, and as a mass vaccination site in 2021.

For Media Inquiries:

American Heart Association: Linzy Cotaya: 504-872-3446; linzy.cotaya@heart.org

Tepper Sports & Entertainment: Ryan Anderson: 704-358-7473; ryan.anderson@teppersportsentertainment.com

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org