Verona, Va. - Augusta County’s Fire-Rescue department (ACFR) and Emergency Communications Center (911) in conjunction with the Central Shenandoah Emergency Medical Services (CSEMS) Council have launched the use of PulsePoint Respond, a free mobile phone application designed to support public safety agencies and increase cardiac arrest survival rates through informed bystander performance and resident response.
Our regional public safety agencies are asking for citizens to download the PulsePoint app to receive alerts about cardiac incidents in public locations. Bystanders can help nearby victims before professional help can arrive, significantly increasing the chances of survival.
“When someone goes into cardiac arrest, it is vital to get to the victim as soon as possible and start hands-only CPR in those critical, life-saving minutes before first responders are able to arrive,” said Matt Lawler, Division Chief for Augusta County Emergency Medical Services (EMS).“The PulsePoint app provides a way to find individuals nearby who can respond, start CPR quickly, and provide AED assistance until first responders arrive on the scene.”
When 9-1-1 receives a call related to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system will automatically push a PulsePoint application notification. Anyone with the app who is in the immediate area will receive an alert that notifies them that someone nearby is in cardiac arrest and needs help. Community members will also see the location of the closest publicly accessible automated external defibrillator (AED). The app sends alerts for cardiac incidents in public locations, not in private residences, unless the user is a verified responder (nurse, doctor, EMS provider, etc.). No training is needed and whether or not someone responds is completely optional. Citizens can notify dispatchers that they are responding right from the app.
“Timely response is essential when it comes to sudden cardiac arrest,” stated Daniel Linkins, CSEMS Regional Director. “You cannot hurt someone in cardiac arrest by doing CPR, but doing nothing will likely result in death or permanent brain damage.”
Request for Local Businesses and Organizations
Our emergency response agencies also request that local businesses and organizations register their AEDs online at aed.new OR download the companion app PulsePoint AED (Android or iPhone). By registering AEDs, businesses will help to build a local network of AED locations so that community members will be able to find a nearby AED when a cardiac emergency occurs. 911 dispatchers will also be able to direct 9-1-1 callers to these shared AED locations.
How to Download PulsePoint Apps for Citizens and Businesses
The free PulsePoint app is available for iPhone and Android and can be downloaded here. Both apps, PulsePoint Respond and PulsePoint AED are also available for free download at the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
About Sudden Cardiac Arrest
The American Heart Association reports that more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur each year, including more than 23,000 youth under age 18, making it the leading cause of death in the United States.
Although a heart attack can lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the two are not the same. SCA is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating unexpectedly, whereas a heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked but the heart continues to beat. Survival rates nationally for SCA are less than 10%, but delivery of CPR can sustain life until paramedics arrive by maintaining vital blood flow to the heart and brain. However, only about a third of SCA victims receive bystander CPR. Without CPR, brain damage or death can occur in minutes. The average EMS response time is nine minutes, even in urban settings; after 10 minutes there is little chance of successful resuscitation. The American Heart Association estimates that effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after SCA, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.
Based on data submitted by EMS agencies to CSEMS, in the SAW area, when an AED was used, 82% of the time it was used by a first responder or healthcare worker. CPR was performed in approximately 45% of prehospital cardiac arrests. In these cases, bystanders only performed CPR 39% of the time. SAW responders see increasing bystander responses as an area for improvement.
About the PulsePoint Foundation
PulsePoint is a public 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation that builds applications for use by public safety agencies to increase community awareness during critical events. The PulsePoint Respond mobile app notifies trained individuals of the nearby need for CPR and the PulsePoint AED registry identifies AED (automated external defibrillator) locations for use by the public and 9-1-1 telecommunicators during emergency call taking. PulsePoint also provides specialized mobile apps for professional responders. Learn more at pulsepoint.org or join the conversation at Facebook and Twitter. The free app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
