'PulsePoint' could help citizens save lives

COEUR d’ALENE — The Coeur d’Alene Fire Department said Friday a mobile app named PulsePoint could involve citizens in saving lives.

PulsePoint alerts CPR-trained citizens of cardiac events in their vicinity so they can administer aid and helps build a comprehensive Automated External Defibrillator registry.

“With PulsePoint we hope to increase bystander involvement in time-sensitive medical calls by increasing the use of CPR and AEDs, while also keeping the community informed, in real time, of all emergency activities,” said Coeur d’Alene Fire Department EMS Officer Steve Jones.

Jones said PulsePoint gives people the ability to know when a cardiac arrest is occurring close by, locate AEDs in the area and perform potentially lifesaving CPR while personnel respond to the scene. 

PulsePoint Respond app subscribers who have indicated they are trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and willing to assist in case of an emergency can be notified if someone nearby is having an SCA and may require CPR, the release said.

If the cardiac emergency is in a public place, the location-aware application will alert users in the vicinity of the need for CPR simultaneous with the dispatch of advanced medical care. The application also directs potential rescuers to the exact location of the closest AED.

The companion app, PulsePoint AED, lets people report and update AED locations so emergency responders, including nearby citizens, can find an AED close to them when a cardiac emergency occurs. 

"You can help build the community registry by using PulsePoint AED to describe the location of an AED and add a picture," the release said. "This information is then staged for local authorities to verify. After that, the AED location data can be made available to dispatchers and anyone using the PulsePoint Respond app."

Throughout the year, the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department responds to nearly 10,000 incidents, including more than 129 cardiac arrest events.

“In addition to nearby ‘CPR-needed’ notifications, PulsePoint subscribers can follow their local fire department and choose to be notified of significant events that may impact their family," said Deputy Fire Marshal Craig Etherton. 

He said situational awareness with PulsePoint can help build safer, stronger and more resilient communities.

PulsePoint is a nonprofit foundation that builds applications for use by public safety agencies to increase community awareness during critical events. The free apps are available for download on the App Store and Google Play.