Local doctor, athletic trainer weigh in on safety protocols amid Damar Hamlin incident

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - With the spotlight on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin - who suffered cardiac arrest during a NFL football game - athletic personnel weighed in on how local sports teams are staying prepared for emergency situations.

“We all know the medicine side of it. It’s the logistics side,” said FAMU team physician, Dr. Garrison Rolle. “The quicker you can get things done, the better it’s going to be for the athlete.”

Dr. Rolle said he and other medical staff rehearse with extensive training before each season to make sure everyone is prepared to respond as quickly as possible.

Leon County high school athletes are required to watch three safety videos before participating in athletics - one on concussion safety, one on heat-related illnesses, and one on cardiac arrest. Leon High School athletic trainer, Alan Morales, said this helps students understand signs, symptoms, and treatment procedures for each situation.

After watching Hamlin collapse on the field during the Bills and Bengals NFL matchup, Morales described the moment as scary. “I do have a son that plays, so it does stick in the back of your mind,” said Morales. His son plays college football for the University of North Carolina. “I’m sitting in the stadium, and a lot of times you do worry when he sits down or lays down a little bit longer,” said Morales.

In 2014, a Godby High School student collapsed on the track and died from sudden cardiac arrest. For Morales, he said every sporting event he attends - home or away - he always keeps an AED with him for this type of emergency. “A moment in high school, in the grand scheme of things, isn’t worth a life,” said Morales.