COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – A local firefighter has been using technology to help save lives, even while off duty.
Erik Loney, a firefighter from Coeur d’Alene, was on vacation in Burlington when he received an alert from the Pulse Point app. The alert indicated that someone nearby needed CPR.
Loney, who was at Costco at the time, got the alert on his phone. He quickly responded, and the app guided him to a 79-year-old man experiencing cardiac arrest.
Despite being modest about his actions, Loney credited Costco employees and nurses for their quick response. They used an AED on the man twice before Loney arrived to take over compressions until paramedics arrived.
Loney described how the app creates a network that can save lives without the intrusive notifications and messages that many apps on the market facilitate.
“If you are willing to do CPR, you’re never going to know it’s there unless it’s needed. It doesn’t send you updates. It doesn’t send you messages. So all of a sudden your phone’s just going to go off and you’re going to be asked to help. You don’t have to respond if you’re in a situation where you don’t want it,” he said.
He described how the app notifies users when nearby help is needed.
“So this is just notifying you that someone needs help close to you. It knows exactly where you are and leads you right to where they are. So it’s just a critical thing. If you’re willing to help. I would download it and you’ll never notice it or need it unless you’re needed to help,” Loney added.
This was not the first time Loney has responded to such an alert while off duty. He previously responded to a similar situation on South Hill, where he and others performed compressions before paramedics arrived, saving another man’s life.
Loney encourages anyone who knows CPR and is willing to help to download the Pulse Point app. As he noted, “You’re under no obligation to respond, but if you do… it can save lives.”
More information can be found on the Pulse Point website.
