Fairfax County’s new emergency app connects cardiac arrest victims with volunteers who know CPR

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has adopted the PulsePoint Respond mobile app, which alerts residents trained in CRP to an emergency nearby involving someone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. 

The PulsePoint app is connected to the 911 system and simultaneously notifies bystanders who can provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation before an ambulance arrives. 

That can save lives. According to the PulsePoint organization, for every minute a victim waits for emergency responders, the victim’s chance of survival decreases by 7 to 10 percent. 

Approximately 1,000 people experience a sudden cardiac arrest every day in the United States.

The location-based app is only activated for cardiac emergencies in public places. It also directs the civilian rescuer to the exact location of the closest automated external defibrillator (AED).

The PulsePoint mobile app is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Even people who haven’t had CPR training and don’t want to be a volunteer rescuer are encouraged to download the PulsePoint app. The app also provides alerts about other emergencies, such as nearby accidents, utility outages, or approaching wildfires.