Seattle cardiac patient has his life saved by a mobile app

Most of us have installed apps that play games, stream television shows, and pass along the news. For 60-year old Stephen DeMont, an app did something much more important; it saved his life. DeMont collapsed last week in front of a bus stop at the University of Washington Medical Center. Quickly, help arrived. A medical student gave DeMont chest compressions, and a nurse who just ended her shift at the hospital helped stabilize him until an ambulance arrived.

The nurse had been alerted to the situation by an app on her phone called PulsePoint. With the app, those who are trained in CPR can be alerted when their life saving talent is required by someone going through a cardiac arrest. The app also reveals the location of dispatched emergency vehicles. Thus, the app can also show you where that ambulance that just passed you on the road is heading, or if there is an accident ahead causing a traffic tie up. PulsePoint can also alert you to the location of a public Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

If PulsePoint isn't available in your area, the developer suggests that you speak to someone at the local fire department, emergency response team, or city council and explain to them how this app saves lives. As for now, DeMont is alive, thanks to the app which brought him the timely help he needed. After all, in a cardiac arrest seconds count. When a call comes into 9-1-1, the dispatcher alerts PulsePoint subscribers that CPR assistance is needed along with the location of the person requiring help, and the closest Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

The app also allows users to monitor emergency radio traffic, and view a photo gallery of significant events. Pulse Point is free and currently covers 2,000 cities in 28 states. If you want to install the app on your iOS or Android device, click on the sourcelink. If you do know CPR, installing PulsePoint on your mobile device could help you save some lives.

Download Pulse Point on your iOS or Android device by clicking on the appropriate link (iOS|Android)


source: PulsePoint via CanadianPress