“Smartphone App Will Save Lives” Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue is currently looking to fund a smartphone application that will undoubtedly increase citizen’s survival rates during a cardiac event in Kitsap County. Annually across the United States, approximately 383,000 people need CPR. While the survival rate in the U.S. is about 8%, the survival rate in Washington State is currently 32% and in Kitsap County we proudly have a survival rate of 47.8%. This is attributed to the fact that 78% of citizens in Kitsap County are willing to help when someone needs CPR. At last night’s Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue Paramedic Doug Bekenyi presented information on an application, named PulsePoint, designed to empower everyday citizens, trained in CPR, to provide life-saving assistance to victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Application users are notified, based on the location of their phone, when someone nearby in a public place, is having a cardiac emergency and may require CPR. The alert goes out simultaneously as medical services are dispatched. The app will also display the location of the closest accessible Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Paramedic Bekenyi feels strongly about the app saying, “It’s time that saves victims of cardiac arrest. This application would make it possible for a nearby citizen to be on scene and performing CPR within seconds.” With an estimated population of 254,000 in Kitsap County it would cost approximately $22,000 to implement this new program and $8,000 to maintain it annually. Central Kitsap’s Medic One Foundation has offered to be the collection point for donations towards the start-up of PulsePoint within Kitsap County. To contribute, please call 360-447-3550, or visit the Medic One Foundation page of our website at ckfr.org. Please indicate that your donation is for the start-up of PulsePoint. FREE Heartsaver CPR classes are offered through CKFR every third Thursday of the month from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Please call 360-447-3550 to reserve a spot. You can read more about the PulsePoint program on their website at pulsepoint.org.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 23:54:12 +0000
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