Hamlin’s incident brings attention to medical resources for local teams
Hamlin's situation is raising questions about how medical personnel should handle situations on the local level
NORTH MISSISSIPPI (WCBI)- Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin is still in critical condition after going into cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The latest report is that Hamlin is now off of his breathing tube and is able to communicate with his family and teammates.
Hamlin’s situation is raising questions about how medical personnel should handle situations.
“We love the game of football, but football is a violent game but life is priceless and you know we just can’t take it for granted you know; we can be here today and gone tomorrow,” said Columbus football head coach Joshua Pulphus.
Pulphus said he knows that injuries are a part of the game, but just like getting the players ready for gameday, he practices other drills with his team.
“We’ll have it scripted out in practice where a kid gets hurt real bad and the coaches, one coach will make the cell phone call to the emergency personnel,” said Pulphus.
Many medical personnel has spoken about Damar Hamlin’s incident and how coaches and medical professionals handled it.
While some feel like Hamlin was treated in the best possible manner, there’s a big gap between the Pros and local sports.
“High schools in Mississippi don’t have the funds and resources that the NFL had and you know and I feel that people can’t question the procedures that they did that night because they invest millions of dollars for player safety,” said Pulphus.
In Mississippi, coaches are required to know CPR and teams have to have an AED kit with them as well.
Some schools are fortunate enough to even have ambulances at games, but in smaller rural areas they have to do what they can.
“You use the resources you have a lot of times we have orthopedics that may come out and volunteer their time, family medical practice people come out and volunteer their time so we use the resources that we have there with them and work together as a team to make sure they’re for the best outcome of the athlete,” said director of the sports medicine program for Northeast Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo Walt Wilkins.
He said he and his staff cover 12 high schools during the football season, and while each team has its own protocol he knows.
“Use the six Ps: proper, prior, planning prevents poor performance so if you have all of that in place it makes it run smoother,” said Wilks.
Coach Pulphus said that even though he and his team have had those safety measures in place. The Hamlin situation just reminded them to always stay prepared.
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