AFA Nashville Emergency Preparedness Training Day a Smashing Success!

“Imagine a national network of over 1 million made up of professional and amateur athletes certified in emergency preparedness and trained to not only help people in a time of need but actually prepared to save lives! Every day millions of our young athletes take to the ball fields, gyms, sports arenas and stadiums all across America. Imagine if every single one of them were trained and prepared to handle emergency situations and how to SAVE A LIFE!! AFA believes it can create a cultural shift in how America prepares for emergencies and disasters by training all of these young Athletes. Give them the education and the responsibility then step aide and watch as the rest of our citizens follow their lead. America will become a much safe Nation.” Billy McGehee, Founder.

On September 10, 2011, Athletes For America, (AFA) conducted the single largest emergency preparedness training event of athletes in the history of our country, in Nashville, Tennessee. In conjunction with Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University Sports Medicine, Nashville American Heart Association, Vanderbilt Resuscitation Program, Nashville Fire Department, The National Athletic Trainers Association, NFL Retired Players Association, Iona- McGregor Fire and Rescue District, Pocket CPR, and whole host of other supporters, over 300 professional, collegiate, high school athletes received certified training in CPR and the use of Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

“I never imagined when I first wrote down the words Athletes for America shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks that ten years later I would be standing on the stage at Vanderbilt University speaking to hundreds of athletes and former NFL greats about emergency preparedness and preparing to witness one of the largest CPR –AED training days for athletes in American history. If the actions of nineteen terrorists can drastically alter the way Americans have lived their lives since 9-11, then imagine how the education and training of millions of athletes in emergency preparedness can also change American lives in the future. I believe the safety of America will ultimately be depend on how educated, trained and prepared we are as citizens to handle natural, man-made and day to day emergencies. I can think of no better individuals to lead our Nation to a safer day than our athletes” stated McGehee.

Raymond Berry, former NFL great and former NFL Head Coach, and participant of the training event in Nashville: “AFA, by teaching CPR and AED to athletes past and present, will save lives. We may not know when or who, but it will happen.

Eddie Khayat, former NFL player and NFL Head Coach and participant in the training event in Nashville: “Since so many cardiac emergencies occur without warning having thousands of athletes at every level trained as ready responders will provide a huge and invaluable resource of preparedness.”