Butler County first responders know, in a cardiac emergency, every second counts.

PulsePoint Respond, a 911-integrated mobile app, is about to give them — and cardiac patients — a big helping hand.

The app will alert people who are CPR-trained to nearby medical emergencies in public areas so they can start providing care until first responders can get there.

“Survival can depend on how quickly CPR is initiated and an AED is applied, and PulsePoint helps close that gap by (connecting) those in need with people nearby who are willing and able to help before first responders arrive,” Cranberry Township EMS Chief Matt Nickl said.

First responders get to every call as quickly as they are physically capable, but sometimes patients in cardiac arrest don’t have a single second to spare.

Imagine being able to save a well-loved neighbor in distress because an app let you know he was in danger.

Sometimes multiple emergencies happen at the same time and response time might be longer than normal — this app could ensure that a person who is trained to handle such situations are able to get to the patient much more quickly.

A second app that works with PulsePoint Respond, called PulsePoint AED, could make caring for cardiac patients easier even when there is no one trained in CPR nearby. It alerts users to the closest automated external defibrillator in the event of cardiac emergency.

These apps are available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

The apps have recently been made available in Butler County through a partnership between AHN Prehospital Care Services, Butler County Emergency Services, Cranberry Township EMS and LEFCON, an IT support company based in Harmony. Butler County commissioners paid for the app to be integrated with the county 911 system and LEFCON funded the first year of the app’s licensing.

When a call comes in to the 911 center, if it’s a cardiac emergency, the user will receive the exact location of the person in need. It also includes a way to ensure users are CPR certified before sending them such information.

This is the kind of smartphone technology that everyone can benefit from and, luckily, Butler County residents will be able to take advantage of it thanks to some forward thinking on the part of county leaders.

— KL