Jump to content

PulsePoint

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PulsePoint Respond
Original author(s)Richard Price
Developer(s)PulsePoint Foundation
Initial release2011 (iOS); 2012 (Android)
Stable release
Android4.19 / January 22, 2024; 10 months ago (2024-01-22)[1]
iOS4.19.1 / March 8, 2024; 8 months ago (2024-03-08)[2]
Available inEnglish, Spanish, French, Japanese
Websitepulsepoint.org


PulsePoint is a 911-connected mobile app that allows users to view and receive live alerts of calls being responded to by fire departments and emergency medical services. The app aims to have bystanders trained in CPR help cardiac arrest victims before emergency crews arrive, which can increase their chance of survival.[3][4] The app interfaces with the local government public safety answering point, and notifies users only if the victim is in a public place and only to users that are in the immediate vicinity of the emergency.[5] In February 2017, PulsePoint introduced a professional version called Verified Responder that also alerts in residential settings.[6] Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, PulsePoint is run by a public 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation of the same name.[7] As of November 2024, the foundation reported that connected agencies had requested the assistance of 1,013,000 nearby responders for 294,000 cardiac arrest events.[8]

In addition to Android and iOS, PulsePoint offers a web client at web.pulsepoint.org that allows users to view the same data that appears in PulsePoint Respond with a browser. PulsePoint uses a standardized set of incident types normalized across Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) and Computer-aided Dispatch (CAD) system vendors.[9] The foundation also underwrites an automated external defibrillator (AED) app and registry to provide location information to PulsePoint responders and dispatchers.[10]

In September 2018, the PulsePoint Respond app was approved by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and added to the App Catalog.[11] PulsePoint Respond is a FirstNet Certified app.[12]

History

[edit]

Richard Price, president of the PulsePoint Foundation, said that the idea for the application came to him in 2010 while he was serving as the fire chief in the San Ramon Valley.[13] While he was out to lunch, he heard sirens and saw one of his own engines pull up in front of the restaurant he was dining in. It turned out that someone next door had collapsed and gone into cardiac arrest. Price was not dispatched to the call and did not know about it, but he was CPR certified and carried a defibrillator in his car. This incident left him wondering if technology could help produce a way for civilians who were trained to help in the event of a nearby emergency.[14] The American Heart Association estimates that 383,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests occur each year in the United States.[15]

In April 2012, PulsePoint was one of only five mobile applications worldwide to be nominated for a Webby Award.[16] It was nominated under the category of Best Use of GPS or Location Technology. A year later, in 2013, it was once again nominated in the same category.[17] In 2014, the application was once again nominated, this time in the category of City & Urban Innovation.[18]

AED Registry

[edit]

Along with the intention of getting CPR started faster and more often, a key objective of the PulsePoint Respond app is to inform those near a cardiac arrest event of the location of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in the immediate vicinity of the victim.[19] To accomplish this, the PulsePoint Foundation maintains an on‑demand (cloud-based) registry of AED locations and encourages anyone to contribute device locations.[20] This crowdsourced AED location information is subsequently reviewed by local public safety agencies with support from the foundation.[21] Approved AEDs are then shown to responders and dispatchers during cardiac emergencies via the PulsePoint AED Registry API.[22] All aspects of the registry are provided free of charge.[23]

On April 12, 2017, the PulsePoint Foundation announced a partnership with Priority Dispatch Corporation to allow dispatchers to inform callers of the location of nearby AEDs[24] when the Medical Priority Dispatch System deemed them necessary.[25] The PulsePoint AED registry is FirstNet Certified for use in emergency communications centers in the United States.[26]

In June 2019 PulsePoint extended the registry to include other collocated resources including Naloxone (e.g., Narcan®) and Epinephrine (e.g., EpiPen®), along with Bleeding Control Kits.[27]

Concerns

[edit]

Some privacy experts have expressed concern that the app may invade the medical privacy of victims.[13] The Los Angeles County Fire Department, one of the many users of the app, has pointed out that The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects the privacy of identifiable health information.[28] On a ‘CPR Needed’ notification, which is sent out through the app, the only information that is seen is an address (which must be in a public place) and a business name, if available. The individually identifiable health information protected by HIPAA, such as name, birth date, or SSN are not reported or even known by the PulsePoint application.[28]

Additional concerns that have been raised are that the app can cause too many bystanders to congregate at the scene of an emergency and that those responding via the app may not be trained in CPR or AED.[29]

On May 9, 2018, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) issued a Position Statement on PulsePoint.[30]

Features

[edit]

Along with being able to view a list of calls in real time, users also have the option to listen in to radio traffic to accompany the application’s incident list.[31] During a CPR-needed response, this functionality allows citizen and off-duty rescuers to hear the dispatcher update emergency responders regarding patient location, scene conditions, etc.[27] To facilitate the live feed, PulsePoint uses Broadcastify, a website that is the largest broadcaster of live public safety audio feeds, to stream radio channels within the app.[31]

On December 11, 2018, PulsePoint released v4.1 for iOS[32] that included the ability to override a device's Do Not Disturb setting and play an alert sound even when the device is muted for “CPR Needed” alerts.[33] This required a special entitlement from Apple.[34]

An additional feature of the application is an interface with Flickr that allows agencies to share photos through the app. Users can view incident, event, station, apparatus, and other photos that the agency chooses to share.[31]

Users

[edit]

As of January 2024, the dispatch centers in more than 4,950 communities were connected to PulsePoint with over 3,000,000 users.[8] Some of the most well-known agencies include:

Incident Responder Unit Codes

[edit]

Orange=Dispatched (?=Awaiting Acknowledge) Green=Enroute Red=On Scene (^=Available on Scene) Yellow=Transport Blue=Transport Arrived Gray=Cleared from Incident [113]

The codes themselves are defined by each agency, and are typically followed by a number to identify a particular instance of each asset type. A legend is sometimes provided on the agency information page, and following are some common examples:

B=Battalion BC=Battalion Chief E=Engine CMD=Command CPT=Helicopter C=Crew DZR=Dozer HM=Hazmat ME=Medic Engine MRE=Medic Rescue Engine P=Patrol R=Rescue RE=Rescue Engine SQ=Squad T=Truck U=Utility WT=Water Tender

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "PulsePoint Respond". Google Play. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
  2. ^ "PulsePoint Respond". App Store. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  3. ^ Brown, Eryn (6 August 2014). "L.A. County Fire Department links dispatch system to PulsePoint CPR app". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  4. ^ "What is PulsePoint? A Lifesaving Innovation in Emergency Response". UC Health. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Killimayer, Christine (26 December 2014). "Madison Fire & Rescue needs help raising funds to bring lifesaving 'Pulse Point' app to Madison County". WHNT News. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Pilot Program Leverages Off-Duty Professional Firefighters, Technology and Defibrillators to Save Lives". PulsePoint. 2017-02-15. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  7. ^ a b "New Mobile Phone App To Help Save Lives Announced By San José Fire Department And El Camino Hospital". February 14, 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  8. ^ a b "PulsePoint by the numbers". PulsePoint Foundation (Stats). Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  9. ^ "PulsePoint Incident Types". PulsePoint Foundation. 2019-08-18. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Designed to put AEDs in motion". PulsePoint Foundation. 2014-07-24. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  11. ^ "GPS Technology Delivers Critical Lifeline for First Responders". First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  12. ^ "FirstNet App Catalog". FirstNet App Catalog. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  13. ^ a b Aleccia, Jonel (3 June 2014). "Heart Attack Rescue? There's an App for That". NBC News. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  14. ^ Hartley, Eric (January 29, 2013). "'PulsePoint' app, which helps people get lifesaving CPR, coming to L.A." Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  15. ^ "CPR & Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Fact Sheet". American Heart Association. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  16. ^ Creaven, Patrick. "San Ramon Valley Cardiac Arrest App Nominated For a Webby Award". San Ramon Patch. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  17. ^ "PulsePoint - Nominee". The Webby Awards. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  18. ^ "PulsePoint - 2014 Nominee". The Webby Awards. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  19. ^ "Spokane Valley City Hall to join defibrillator sites". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  20. ^ "El Camino Hospital Collaborates with PulsePoint Foundation to Launch Crowd-Sourced Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Registry". El Camino Hospital. 2015-01-02. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  21. ^ "San Diego County, City, Fire Chiefs Launch AED App, Crowdsourcing Campaign". County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office. 2015-03-16. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  22. ^ "AED Registry API: Universal access to AED locations". PulsePoint Foundation. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  23. ^ "FAQ: What are the costs involved in implementing the app?". PulsePoint Foundation. 2014-07-23. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  24. ^ "Emergency Telecommunicators Need Access to a Community AED Registry". PulsePoint Foundation. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Nearest AED to be integrated into medical dispatch protocols". EMS1. 11 April 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  26. ^ "FirstNet Certified Listing - PulsePoint AED". FirstNet App Catalog. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  27. ^ a b "Lifesaving Information". PulsePoint Foundation. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  28. ^ a b "PulsePoint App Now Available to Los Angeles County". LACFD. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  29. ^ "Sioux Falls Pulse Point". Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  30. ^ "Using Mobile Technology to Increase Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates". Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  31. ^ a b c "Technical Information". PulsePoint. 2014-07-24. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  32. ^ "PulsePoint Respond December 2018 Update". 2018-12-08. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  33. ^ "Critical Alerts". 2018-11-25. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  34. ^ "The authorization status to play sounds for critical alerts". Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  35. ^ "City of Akron launches life-saving PulsePoint app". FOX 8 TV Cleveland. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  36. ^ "Community Services - PulsePoint". Alameda County Fire Department. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  37. ^ "Albuquerque Fire Rescue - PulsePoint". City of Albuquerque. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  38. ^ "Help Save a Life: PulsePoint Now in Anne Arundel County". Anne Arundel Medical Center. 2018-05-24. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  39. ^ "Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Quarterly Report". Atlanta City Council. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  40. ^ "PulsePoint app now available in Monroe County". Hoosier Times. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  41. ^ "Brevard County Welcomes PulsePoint". Brevard County. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  42. ^ "New smartphone app could save lives". Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  43. ^ "County Fire Dept Connects to Life-Saving App". San Luis Obispo County Fire Department. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  44. ^ "Life Will You Save Today?". City of Chesapeake. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  45. ^ "UC Health, Cincinnati Fire Department Launch PulsePoint Respond". UC Health. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  46. ^ "CGFD Kicks off CPR Awareness Week with Launch of AED Campaign". 2 June 2017.
  47. ^ "PulsePoint app, used in Las Vegas Valley, can be lifesaver". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  48. ^ "How a Smartphone App Can Help You Save a Life". Cleveland Clinic. 2015-02-23. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  49. ^ "Know CPR? Willing to save a life? Download PulsePoint today!". City of Columbus. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  50. ^ "CTIA Wireless Foundation Sponsors PulsePoint Launch in Coral Springs". YouTube. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  51. ^ "Mayor Bowser Announces New Life-Saving Technologies". DC.gov. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  52. ^ "PulsePoint app now available in El Paso". City of El Paso. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  53. ^ "Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Announces Launch of Lifesaving PulsePoint App". Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  54. ^ "How to Save a Life with CPR App". WSVN-TV. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  55. ^ "Frisco Fire Department". City of Frisco, TX. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  56. ^ "Hawaii FD is now #PulsePointConnected". Twitter (PulsePoint Foundation). Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  57. ^ "Emergency Management - PulsePoint". City of Henderson. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  58. ^ "Hilton Head's PulsePoint app could help you save a life". NBC WSAV 3 TV. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  59. ^ "CTIA Wireless Foundation Launches PulsePoint in Honolulu". YouTube. 15 March 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  60. ^ "PulsePoint Smartphone Notification and Prompt CPR Saves A Man's Life". City of Howard County Maryland. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  61. ^ "Know CPR? This app will tell you if someone nearby needs it". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  62. ^ "Lifesaving PulsePoint app now available in Kansas City region". Mid-America Regional Council. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  63. ^ "PulsePoint App". Kern County Public Health. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  64. ^ "Vegas FD Partners with PulsePoint to Improve CPR Access". Firehouse. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  65. ^ "Lincoln Pulsepoint user first to start CPR on person in cardiac arrest". Lincoln Journal Star. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  66. ^ "Livermore, Pleasanton Heroes Save Marin Man In Cardiac Arrest". Patch. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  67. ^ "PulsePoint helps save lives in first year". Journal Star. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  68. ^ "L.A. County Fire Department links dispatch system to PulsePoint CPR app". Los Angeles Times. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  69. ^ "Los Angeles Fire Department Partners with PulsePoint Foundation". Los Angeles Fire Department. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  70. ^ "PulsePoint". City of Madison, WI. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  71. ^ "Mecklenburg County Rolls Out CPR Smart-Phone App". Spectrum News North Carolina. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  72. ^ "Miami Beach uses app to alert bystanders of sudden cardiac arrest". Miami Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  73. ^ "Milwaukee joins cities across nation using PulsePoint: 'Be better neighbors and better responders'". WITI-TV FOX6 News. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  74. ^ "New city app allows volunteers to help in cardiac emergencies". Chicago Tribune. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  75. ^ "The City of Norfolk is now a PulsePoint-enabled community". City of Norfolk, Virginia. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  76. ^ "OCFA Launches Free PulsePoint Mobile App for Citizen CPR Response" (PDF). Orange County Fire Authority. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  77. ^ "Orange County Fire Rescue Launches Lifesaving Apps With Technology to Help Keep Hearts Healthy". Orange County Government Florida. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  78. ^ "Download PulsePoint App, Help Provide Life-Saving Assistance". City of Orlando. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  79. ^ "Palm Beach Gardens Honors 2 Women Who Used App To Save A Life". 1290 WJNO. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  80. ^ "5 Things to Know: Pasco Fire Rescue Adopts PulsePoint App". Spectrum Bay News 9. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  81. ^ "PulsePoint App Alerts Nearby Citizens To Cardiac Arrest Patients In Need Of Aid". KDKA-TV News CBS Pittsburgh. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  82. ^ "New Plano Smart Phone App Will Save Lives". CBS Local DFW. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  83. ^ "PulsePoint Apps". City of Portland. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  84. ^ "Pr. George's County rolls out CPR app that could save lives". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  85. ^ "Community Safety - PulsePoint". Prince William County, Virginia. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  86. ^ "PulsePoint one year later". KNBN NewsCenter1. November 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  87. ^ "Lifesaving PulsePoint app now available in Reno". KRNV TV News 4. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  88. ^ "City Partners With PulsePoint to Improve Cardiac Arrest Response in RVA". Richmond City News. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  89. ^ "PulsePoint Enabling Community Superheroes". City of Riverside. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  90. ^ "Sac Fire Department Launches PulsePoint Respond App". City Express. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  91. ^ "Launch of PulsePoint Application Next Step in Life-saving Outreach". Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  92. ^ "Save a Life with the PulsePoint Responder App". City of Salem, Oregon. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  93. ^ "Get the app. Save a life". San Bernardino County. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  94. ^ "County, City, Fire Partners Activate CPR App". San Diego County. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  95. ^ "San Francisco Launches Use of PulsePoint Mobile App to Help Save Lives". SF.GOV. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  96. ^ "California man helps save woman thanks to phone app". WTHR TV 13. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  97. ^ "Life-Saving 'Fire Department CPR' App Going National". Government Technology. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  98. ^ "PulsePoint App Available to County". EdHat. Santa Barbara County Fire Department. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  99. ^ "PulsePoint Mobile App". Santa Clara County Fire Department. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  100. ^ "Save a life around the corner: This app turns Seattle bystanders into first responders". The Seattle Times. June 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  101. ^ "Seminole joins PulsePoint app that alerts CPR-trained bystanders to cardiac arrest victims". Orlando Sentinel. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  102. ^ "Sioux Falls Residents Use App to Help Save Lives". KDLT NBC TV. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  103. ^ "New PulsePoint Respond app tracks whereabouts of first responders who can help with CPR". The Press Democrat. 10 November 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  104. ^ "Mobile app connects South Bend-area users with cardiac arrest victims". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  105. ^ "South Metro Fire uses app that could help save a heart attack victim's life". FOX31 Denver. 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  106. ^ "Spokane FD Verified Responder". Vimeo (PulsePoint Foundation). 4 June 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  107. ^ "PulsePoint App Launched With The Intent To Help Save Lives". Suffolk County Government. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  108. ^ "Fact Sheet 2015". Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  109. ^ "PulsePoint. Get the Point, Save a Life". City of Tucson. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  110. ^ "PulsePoint App now available to Ventura County". Ventura County Fire Department. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  111. ^ "YOU can help save a life!". Virginia Beach Department of Emergency Medical Services. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  112. ^ "Wake County EMS". Twitter. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  113. ^ "Unit Status Legend". PulsePoint Foundation. 2021-11-11. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PulsePoint&oldid=1256129409"