Dane County Community Partners to Introduce Life Saving Program

February 06, 2015
Leah Huibregtse, Sr. Communications Strategist, Meriter-UnityPoint Health, 608-417-5685 or 608-516-2256
County Executive

 

App Alerts Bystanders to CPR need

 

 

(MADISON, Wis.)– Meriter – UnityPoint Health, City of Madison Fire and Dane County EMS are proud to introduce the community to PulsePoint, a mobile app to help keep your heart beating in an emergency.

“Effective CPR given right after sudden cardiac arrest can significantly increase a victim’s chance of survival,” said Dr. Joseph Bellissimo, Cardiologist at Meriter – UnityPoint Health, which is funding PulsePoint through the Meriter Foundation. “We are thrilled that we are part of the team that’s bringing PulsePoint to our community.”

“PulsePoint is the result of the hard work and collaboration of a number of organizations in Dane County,” said Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive. “We know that people in our community are willing to help and this program connects them directly to those who need it most.”

Connected with the Dane County 911 Center, the PulsePoint app alerts CPR-trained bystanders when a sudden cardiac arrest occurs in a safe public place within their immediate vicinity. Users will be able to quickly find the victim and begin CPR immediately rather than idly waiting for EMS to arrive. The app also gives detailed instructions and locations of nearby automatic external defibrillators (AEDs).

“We know that PulsePoint has saved lives elsewhere, and I am confident it will be successful here, too.  The City is pleased to collaborate with Meriter-UnityPoint Health, Dane County EMS and the 911 Center in this project. This is a great success for the public we serve,” said Madison Mayor Paul Soglin.

“When it comes to cardiac arrest, every second counts. Every minute a person waits for help, their chances of survival decrease by as much as 10 percent,” said Madison Fire Chief Steven Davis. “We are always looking for new and innovative means to improve survival from cardiac arrest, and we are all looking forward to the potential success of this technology.”

PulsePoint is not limited to emergency responders or those with official CPR certification. It can be used by anyone who has been trained in CPR. Those looking for a CPR training course or more information on PulsePoint should visit meriter.com/pulsepoint

 

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