PulsePoint® Respond is a smartphone app that alerts CPR-trained users of a nearby cardiac arrest incident or emergency requiring CPR. The goal of the app is to save lives by increasing the chances of survival for people who experience cardiac arrest in the community. Data shows that each minute without intervention – CPR, chest compressions-only, or AED usage -  reduces the chance of survival by 7-10 percent.

The PulsePoint app was introduced to the city of Pittsburgh in 2016. It works directly with the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system of the Allegheny County Emergency Services 911 Center. PulsePoint is available at all 42 EMS agencies in Allegheny County.

How Does the App Work?

When an incident requiring an AED or CPR is reported to 911, PulsePoint app users and trained EMS professionals will simultaneously receive a notification of the emergency. The notification shows users the location of the emergency and the person’s condition, so they can take action to help those in need if they are nearby, potentially increasing a person’s chance of survival.

How Do You Download the App?

The PulsePoint Respond app is available for iPhone and Android and can be downloaded from the iTunes Store, Google Play, or by visiting https://www.pulsepoint.org/download/.

Emergencies can take many forms and occur at any time. You never know when you might find yourself at the scene of a fire, accident, sudden cardiac arrest, overdose, or other crisis situation.

Minutes Matter, a partnership between UPMC and the City of Pittsburgh, provides our community with access to basic emergency information and education, so they can help others in need – whether in their homes or in the community.

Sources: https://www.pulsepoint.org/news/allegheny-county-pittsburgh-announce-launch-of-lifesaving-smartphone-application