Burlington County Sheriff Jean Stanfield and the Burlington County Department of Public Safety are partnering with Virtua Emergency Medical Services to provide a free series of CPR training courses for residents.
Classes will take place at the Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center in Westampton.
The series coincides with the PulsePoint mobile app that launched in November of 2015. The PulsePoint app is the first of its kind to be used in Southern New Jersey, with Burlington County being the third jurisdiction on the East Coast to offer it.
“PulsePoint’s location-aware technology alerts CPR-trained persons in a public place to someone nearby in sudden cardiac arrest who may require CPR, and gets them there sooner,” Stanfield said. “With more bystanders trained and using the app, CPR can be provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, effectively doubling or tripling a victim’s chance of survival.”
When a 911 call alerts dispatch to a cardiac arrest victim, the PulsePoint app is activated by the Burlington County Public Safety communications center while simultaneously notifying local emergency responders and Virtua paramedics. When activated, anyone within a quarter mile who has downloaded the app to their mobile device will receive a push notification on their smart phone with the location of the emergency. The app also provides the location of the nearest, known publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device.
“We are proud to bring this innovative life-saving tool to individuals living, working and visiting Burlington County,” said Richard P. Miller, president and CEO of Virtua. “At Virtua, we strive to be an active partner in the communities we not only serve, but also where we live and work. Virtua regularly explores the latest technology to help us continue providing the highest quality care to our communities.”
Classes will be held over the course of the year on the following dates: March 19, April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16, Aug. 20, Sept. 17, Oct.15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17.
To register residents must fax their applications to (609) 702–7100, or mail to: Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center, P.O. Box 6000, Westampton, NJ 08060.
Residents can visit the county homepage at http://co.burlington.nj.us to receive an application and for more information.
