Downloading an app on your phone could be the difference between whether somebody lives or not. The PulsePoint app is connected to 911 and allows users to view and receive alerts on calls being responded to by fire departments and emergency medical services.
There are two separate apps that serve different functions - PulsePoint Respond and Pulsepoint AED.
PulsePoint Respond
PulsePoint Respond users are those who have indicated they are trained in CPR and willing to assist in case of an emergency. The location-aware application will then alert users in the vicinity of the need for CPR simultaneous with the dispatch of advanced medical care. The app also directs these rescuers to the exact location of nearby AEDs.
If users are closer to the incident than our Fire and Rescue Department, they could help save a life by performing rescue operations until first responders arrive.
A CPR alert arrives on your phone as a critical push notification. This notification will be accompanied by a distinctive alert tone. Opening the notification will load the PulsePoint app, and the screen will display your current location, the general reported location of the cardiac arrest victim, along with the location of nearby AEDs. To receive a CPR Needed activation, you must have the CPR notification type selected in the settings menu and you must be in the immediate vicinity of a reported cardiac arrest.
PulsePoint AED
PulsePoint AED is a tool to build, manage and mobilize the National Emergency AED Registry. The registry is integrated with 911 to help identify nearby AEDs.
In conjunction with the registry, the PulsePoint AED mobile app informs those with an AED, including device owners, responsible parties and neighborhood volunteers, of the nearby need for a defibrillator.
You can help even before a life is in danger by easily identifying public access AEDs throughout the county. Direct participation can also help create greater location awareness and mindfulness of the important role AEDs play in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
Our Fire and Rescue Department is the agency that most commonly responds to medical emergencies, including cardiac events. Nearly 1,400 uniformed men and women operate from 39 stations strategically positioned throughout Fairfax County. Additionally, about 180 civilians provide key support functions from headquarters and other locations.
The department supports the use of the PulsePoint apps.
SIGN UP FOR DAILY EMAIL HEADLINES