Staunton Fire Department launching two free lifesaver mobile apps

The Staunton Fire Department is rolling out two new life-saving mobile apps that area residents can access via the App Store and Google Play.

One of the apps, PulsePoint Respond, alerts people with CPR training of cardiac events in their vicinity so they may administer aid.

“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,” Staunton Fire Lt. Adam Nulty said.

When a user initially sets up the PulsePoint Respond app, they are prompted to enter their CPR training status. Only those users who are trained in CPR will receive alerts when a nearby cardiac emergency arises. If the emergency is in a public place, the location-aware application will alert trained users in the vicinity of the need for CPR, simultaneous with the dispatch of advanced medical care.

The application also directs these potential rescuers to the exact location of the closest AED.

The app is available for download by the general public, regardless of their CPR training status. For those who are not CPR-trained, the app functions like a scanner, enabling users to view emergency calls in progress.

The second app, PulsePoint AED, allows users to help build a community registry of AED locations. Users can report and update these locations so that emergency responders, including nearby citizens, can find an AED close to them when a cardiac emergency occurs.

Users with the PulsePoint AED app can help build the registry by describing the AED’s location and adding a picture; local authorities will verify these locations before they are made available to users of the app.

These mobile apps will launch on Monday, June 5.

For more information about PulsePoint, visit www.pulsepoint.org