With the recent cardiac emergency experienced by Buffalo Bills’ player Damar Hamlin highlighting the importance of having critical resources on hand, the Albany County Legislature and Sheriff are working together to ensure that local youth sports have necessary life-saving equipment on site in the event of an emergency.

Chairman Andrew Joyce, Deputy Chairwoman Wanda Willingham and Legislator Sean Ward were joined by Sheriff Craig Apple and the American Heart Association on Wednesday to present an automated external defibrillator (AED) to the Green Island Little League and provide a demonstration on how the equipment is used to save a life.

AEDs are lightweight, portable medical devices that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm in the event of a cardiac arrest. 

“As a dad of a Little League player, the dangers inherent with the sport, as witnessed here locally and on the national stage with Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, are always in the back of our minds,” said Chairman Andrew Joyce. “We’re proud to provide this public safety resource to our little leagues. When an emergency strikes, seconds and minutes count. We’re sure this can make a difference.”

“Baseball is the number one sport where you see sudden cardiac arrest due to sharp blows to the chest. There is a minimal chance of survival without quick treatment with CPR and an AED. With immediate CPR and AED placement the survival rate is over 50%. The more AED’s and CPR trained individuals we get at the baseball fields will make our little league fields the safest in the nation,” said Sheriff Craig Apple.

The effort was spearheaded by Legislator Sean Ward who grew concerned about the lack of life-saving equipment available at sporting events.

“With the rising number of cardiac arrests occurring during sporting events recently, there has been an increased call for AEDs to be available on site. There have been a few incidents in our immediate area, but the issue was highlighted by the nationally televised incident involving Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin last season,” said Ward. “I am thankful to Sheriff Apple and Chairman Joyce for realizing the need to protect our young athletes, and for their help in securing this AED for the Green Island Little League.”

“Since 1953, the Green Island Little League has provided a safe place for kids to play and grow. This wonderful donation of an AED machine will allow us to continue that mission. We thank Sheriff Craig Apple, Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce and Legislator Sean Ward for helping our league and our community,” stated officials from the Green Island Little League.

An initial investment of $9,600 was used to purchase four AEDs, which will be distributed to leagues that currently have none of the equipment on hand.

According to the American Heart Association, 350,000 people suffer out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest each year and only 10 percent survive. Immediate CPR and AED use can double or triple the person’s chance of survival.

“The American Heart Association created the guidelines for CPR, and we update them regularly,” said Kaweeda Adams, chair of the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association in the Capital Region. “Using an AED is an important part of the chain of survival, which is 1. Call 911, 2. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest, 3. Use an AED. Immediate use of CPR and AED doubles or triples the chances of survival for victims of sudden cardiac arrest. This means we can change the statistic that only 10 percent of the 350,000 people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest survive. Albany County’s donation of AEDs to local Little League teams is a wonderful investment in the future of the county.”