New ‘911 Assistance’ App Could Save Lives
In the past 911 dispatchers had to spend a lot of precious time pinpointing the location of their mobile users. More often than not, emergency response teams were seriously delayed because they were given the wrong address. GPS technology helped to solve a lot of these issues, but knowledge of proper CPR procedures are still a big issue. This is the reason that the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District has released an iPhone app that will measure the caller’s knowledge of CPR and then accurately report the data back to the 911 dispatcher. Emergencies can happen anywhere, which is why safety experts say that it is essential to have access to a cell phone. If you can give an approximately location and you are able to describe the nature of the emergency then police, firefights or an ambulance can be called.
The app, called ‘Fire Department,’ will give callers the ability to administer CPR while a nearby 911 dispatcher is immediately alerted. This means that precious minutes are saved as the caller won’t be required to talk to a dispatcher at all. While the app works to relay the exact coordinates of the emergency scene, the caller can assist the injured party until a first responder is able to arrive. Not only will this app potentially save lives, it will also help 911 dispatchers to do their jobs more effectively. Speaking to a dispatcher may help callers feel more confident, but when time is of the essence every second counts.