HOLLAND, Mich. — Many people have hearts on their minds this Valentine's Day, including officials in Ottawa County — but the heart on their mind is the one beating in your chest.
Ottawa County just announced a new program aimed at saving lives.
“Immediate and effective CPR, followed by two defibrillator shocks, brought me back and gave me the opportunity to fight for my life for four more days,” Lisa Cardillo told FOX 17.
Cardillo nearly died when her heart stopped, but thankfully, trained first responders were close by when it happened.
"I'm able to stand here right now because of CPR and an AED," Cardillo explained.
Doctors say every second counts when you go into cardiac arrest, adding that your chance of survival decreases by ten percent each minute that your heart is stopped.
"If we can start CPR within a minute or two, the likelihood of that individual surviving the cardiac arrest and going home without any significant problems is significantly elevated," HeartSafe Holland Medical Director Dr. Jon Krohmer said.
Which is why Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority announced it is rolling out two new apps — PulsePoint Respond and PulsePoint AED Registry.
People trained to perform CPR should download the PulsePoint Respond app. Then, when someone calls 911 for a sudden cardiac arrest, not only are first responders dispatched, but also, those nearby who are signed up through the app get an alert about the medical emergency.
"If they're within a quarter mile of that incident, they're going to get a notice," Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority Executive Director Pete McWatters explained. "And then, they can therefore get there quicker, even then our first responders, and they can provide care until our professional responders get on scene."
The second app, PulsePoint AED Registration, lets you know if you're close to an Automatic External Defibrillator.
"You're not just saving one life, you're saving that person's family, their husband, their children, their wife, their mother, their father," Shannon Smith with PulsePoint added. "So, it really is so impactful, not only to the person being saved, but their whole family and their community."
Both PulsePoint apps are free to download for IOS and Android users.
If you're interested in getting CPR certified, the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association offer different options, depending on your location.
