Emergency Response App to Debut in Westfield
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Westfield Fire Department and Riverview Health have teamed together to bring potentially lifesaving technology to Hamilton County. PulsePoint is a free citizen emergency response app that allows anyone with a smartphone, who is trained in CPR, to be certified as a citizen responder.
“This is a no-brainer from an emergency response standpoint,” said Westfield Fire Chief, Marcus Reed. “So much of our work is medical in nature. We know that the sooner a patient receives attention, the better the outcomes we see. If we can use technology to alert trained citizens to respond we increase our ability to be successful.”
The app will allow emergency dispatchers to activate an alert to notify app users about the emergency, which will allow the responder to provide any necessary help.
“While our heart and vascular team, as well as emergency personnel, work together to provide top-notch care, every minute can be valuable in the event of a heart issue,” said Seth Warren, president and CEO of Riverview Health. “By getting community members involved who are trained in CPR, it can become a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of patients in a cardiovascular emergency.”
App users will only be alerted of emergencies in public places, due to privacy reasons. The Good Samaritan Law legally protects those who provide reasonable help to injured people, or those who are believed to be injured or incapacitated. The launch of the app is being led by Westfield’s Fire Department, but the app will be available throughout Hamilton County.