Community

Red Wings Feature Hands-Only CPR Training Kiosk at Innovative Field through June 16

May. 28, 2024
Team Joins UR Medicine, American Heart Association to Expand CPR Readiness

The Rochester Red Wings are thrilled to announce a collaboration with UR Medicine and the American Heart Association (AHA) to introduce the HeartSaver Hub Mobile Kiosk at Innovative Field. This initiative represents a major step forward in promoting heart health and empowering the Rochester community with life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills.

The HeartSaver Hub offers a brief interactive training session, followed by hands-on practice and a 30-second test. The kiosk features a built-in, latex-free torso to ensure proper hand placement, compression rate, and depth, with real-time feedback to enhance technique. It also includes music to help maintain a continuous rhythm.

The lifesaving HeartSaver Hub Mobile Kiosk will be prominently located next to the Red Wings Team Store during their next two homestands. Fans can easily access the kiosk from May 28 through June 2 as the Red Wings face off against the St. Paul Saints (MIN) and again from June 11 through June 16 when they battle the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY). This convenient placement ensures that fans can seamlessly integrate CPR training into their game-day experience, making it both an educational and engaging addition to their visit to Innovative Field.

Naomi Silver, President, CEO, and COO of the Rochester Red Wings and Board Member at URMC, stated, “Learning CPR is an invaluable skill that can make a real difference in our community. We are thrilled to partner with UR Medicine and the American Heart Association to bring this hands-only CPR training to our fans. Emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time, and by taking just a few minutes to learn these life-saving techniques, we can all be prepared to act—whether it’s at the ballpark or at home. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity while having fun at a ballgame and become a lifesaver. Together, we can be everyday heroes!”

Red Wings General Manager Dan Mason added, “CPR knowledge is such a vital skill for people in our community to possess. We are proud to partner with UR Medicine and the American Heart Association in making this CPR training unit available for our fans for the next two homestands. We encourage all our fans and employees to stop by the CPR Training kiosk near the team store. It could help to save somebody’s life.”

Spikes, the Red Wings mascot, Megan Vargulick from the Heart Association, and URMC's Kellie Murphy join Red Wings President and CEO Naomi Silver, a member of the URMC Board.
Three organizations are teaming up to improve our community's CPR readiness. From left are: Rochester Red Wings mascot Spikes, Megan Vargulick of American Heart Association Rochester, Kellie Murphy of URMC Learning and Development, and Naomi Silver, Red Wings President, CEO and COO.

The mobile hands-only CPR training station is the first of its kind in New York State and one of only four in the United States. UR Medicine will also provide heart health checks during games on Saturdays, June 1 and 15.

“CPR is the best response when someone suffers cardiac arrest. We are pleased the Rochester Red Wings are shining the spotlight on the importance of learning CPR and being ready to act if someone needs it,” said Stephanie Von Bacho, EdD, MSEd, MS, RN, NEA-BC, senior director of Learning and Development at the University of Rochester, University of Rochester Medical Center, and UR Medicine. “Everyone can learn this life-saving skill.”

UR Medicine introduced the mobile CPR station, developed by the American Heart Association, last summer to improve bystander response rates. Over the past 12 months, about 5,500 people have learned how to save a life or honed their skills.

Megan Vargulick, executive director of the American Heart Association, Rochester, emphasized, “Less than half of all people who need CPR receive it from bystanders before professional help arrives. Knowing how to respond in a cardiac emergency when seconds matter can be the difference between life and death. Thanks to UR Medicine and our “Live Fierce. Take Action.” supporters, we are able to use innovative ways, like this mobile CPR kiosk, to improve the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest in our community. We are committed to creating a Nation of Lifesavers through training and education like this.”

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Anyone can learn CPR and be prepared to respond in a heart emergency.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), more than 350,000 people experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year. Nearly 1,000 such incidents occur daily, with a staggering 90 percent non-survival rate.

During cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating or does not beat effectively, halting blood flow to the brain and the rest of the body. Without oxygen-rich blood, the risk of neurological damage increases significantly. CPR helps maintain some blood flow until medical help arrives, making it a critical intervention.

Recent data indicates that in Monroe and Livingston counties, only 32 percent of individuals who suffered cardiac arrest at home received CPR before an ambulance arrived, which is below the national average of 45 percent.

To find the location of the mobile training station or learn about CPR courses, visit LearnCPR.urmc.edu.

Tickets to these two homestands and all remaining Red Wings home games can be found online at RedWingsBaseball.com.