Seaford students learn life-saving skills

In a room equipped with CPR mannequins and automated external defibrillators, more than 60 student-athletes from Seaford High School became empowered to help their teammates should they suffer a serious injury during a team practice or game.

Thanks to a grant valued at $1,500 awarded by Anyone Can Save a Life, an emergency action program for after-school practices and events, students received a two-hour training session conducted by Hofstra University medical students. Seaford’s teens rotated through three stations: CPR, AED and 911 procedures. As part of the grant, the district was also awarded 10 mannequins and two AED trainers.

“The hope is that once student athletes are trained, they will step up next year and lead the training program for upcoming athletes,” said Mike Spreckels, physical education teacher and athletic trainer, who won the grant for the district. “Too often, student athletes have been victims of fatal accidents. We are extremely excited that we could bring this program to our athletes in an effort to prevent a tragedy from happening.”

In its second year, the New York chapter of Anyone Can Save a Life emergency training program was founded by Karen Acompora and Melinda Murray, who both lost their sons on the playing field. Louis Acompora died from a condition known as commotio cordis, which resulted from a blow to his chest while playing lacrosse during his first high school game. Dominic Murray died from sudden cardiac arrest, resulting from cardiac hypertrophy related to an underlying heart condition.

To prevent other fatalities, and to ensure that schools in New York State have the tools and resources to respond in the event of an emergency, the founders brought the program to 10 school districts last year and 10 this year, with the goal of training students in all Long Island districts. Their training recently helped a student in the Malverne School District survive a serious injury, the founders said.

“Every three days a young athlete dies from sudden cardiac arrest,” Murray said to the Seaford athletes. “Our goal is to make sure you are not paralyzed by fear and can initiate a chain of survival.”