NCHU AED/CPR Program History:
During his first high school lacrosse game, on March 25, 2000 Louis Acompora a goalie was struck in the chest by a lacrosse ball shot by an opposing player at West Islip. Louis fell to the ground and died minutes later. The cause of death was Commotio Cordis. The shot hit Louis and disrupted the heart pumping his blood and he collapsed and died. No AED was at the location and had there been Louis life may have been saved.
The Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation was formed within weeks of Louis death with the help of supporters and friends by his mother and father Karen and John Acompora. It was formed to bring awareness of Commotio Cordis to the Sports Community with the hope that what happened at West Islip would not be repeated. Thanks to the work of the Acompora foundation, to date at least 35 lives have been saved through the use of AED’S on location at a sporting event. In June 2001 Louis Law was signed by Gov. George Pataki mandating all NY state public schools be equipped with AED’s (automated external defibrillators) at all school sporting events.
In January, 2006 after hearing John Acompora’s presentation to the NCHU Soccer Club the Club decided it was time to initiate a CPR/AED program of it’s own.
A committee was formed with volunteers, Bill and Maryann Timlen, Dennis Kropp, Ed Dynes, Sheila Whitlow, John Bagatais and Ed Martello. The first step was to make sure all coaches be certified with CPR/AED training. In February, 2006 a first group of coaches received certification through the Acompora Foundation at the Demattis Center affiliated with St. Francis Hospital in Glen Cove.
In May a second group of 26 coaches received certification at the Northport H.S. directly by John Acompora and four other certified instructors. The balance of the other Coaches had previously received independent certification and the remaining ones soon after.
The Club bylaws states that all coaches must be certified or they may not coach a team.
It was decided to initiate a program with 5 AED’S. The first AED was a gift by the Louis J. Acompora Foundation. And the next four were purchased from Philip’s Electronic by Bill Timlen through the generous donation of coach Al Schefer.
Currently the AED’S are available to all Club teams at home games only. There is one maintained at the Northport Soccer complex. The other four are stored at Ed Martello’s house, which is centrally located for games at the 5th ave middle and elementary schools.
Ideally the team playing the first game picks up the AED from Ed and passes it on to the coach of the next game with the last team returning it back to Ed.
The club hopes that through donations and fundraising each team will have it’s own AED and thus have one available at all away and home games, tournaments as well as practices.
For donations to the NCHU Soccer club AED program, I suggest they be made through the Club Treasurer Len Marchese 631-757 -7056 or President Bill Timlen 631 754 3844 Ed Martello may also be contacted at 631 262 0377
Donation’s may also be made to the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation:
P.O. Box 767
Northport, NY 11768
Tele: 631 754-1091
e-mail: K-Acompora@la12.org
The Website for a history and the most updated information can be accessed at www.LA12.org