AEDs for Newtown Baseball Club

Dear Families of NBR and the community of Newtown CT,

The incidence of cardiac events was brought to the forefront for many of us following the on-field emergency Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills sustained about 6 months ago. The speed at which lifesaving care was provided contributed to a great outcome. In response, the Newtown Baseball Club is taking on a series of Player Health, Wellness, and Safety initiatives to assure the safest possible playing environment for its athletes.

The first, is to purchase 4 AEDs to be placed at all primary locations that our athletes are participating in baseball activities. The second, is to provide CPR and AED training to our coaches.

There are several causes of cardiac arrest in children. Although rare, they are very important to take into consideration. They include but are not limited to the following:

• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - An often undiagnosed condition in which there is thickening of the heart muscle, which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. Unexplained fainting can be a sign of this condition.

• Myocarditis - Inflammation of the heart muscle that can be caused by several factors. Incidence has significantly increased following the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Commotio Cordis - A rare condition in which a sudden blunt impact to the chest, at a very short and specific part of the cardiac cycle, causes an irregular heartbeat followed by cardiac arrest. Again, this condition is very rare, but most commonly occurs in the sport of baseball.

The common theme for improving outcomes of these rare conditions is response time. The sooner that emergency lifesaving care is provided, the higher the chance of survival. Studies show that for every 1 minute it takes to initiate resuscitation and defibrillation, survival rate drops by 10%. Having trained individuals and proper medical equipment nearby is vital.

The Newtown Baseball Club is asking for your support to help keep our children, as well as coaches and spectators, safe while enjoying the great game of baseball. All donations will go directly to the purchase of AEDs and CPR/AED training of our coaches. We are looking to purchase at least 4 AEDs. Our goal will be to always have a minimum of 2 individuals who are certified in CPR/AED onsite at all NBR games and practices.

The health, wellness, and safety of our athletes is our top priority. Please consider contributing to this cause. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Joe Esposito

NBR Director of Player Health, Wellness, and Safety