PulsePoint Welcomes Thomas C. Jenkins to Advisory Board

Rogers, Arkansas Fire Chief and IAFC Past President, Joins PulsePoint Foundation Advisory Board

PLEASANTON, Calif., September 14, 2018 – The PulsePoint Foundation, a pioneer of location-aware mobile apps that empower off-duty professionals and everyday citizens to provide life‐saving assistance to victims of cardiac arrest, announced today the appointment of Thomas C. Jenkins to the Foundation’s Advisory Board. Jenkins will advise the board, staff and member agencies, guide policy and partnership opportunities, and help inform future product development.

“We are delighted to have such an outstanding individual joining our board,” said Matthew Stamey, PulsePoint Foundation board chairman. “I’m confident that Chief Jenkins will make significant contributions to our organization. He is a valuable addition to our team filling an important industry role that has been served by Fire Chief Jack Parow since our inception in 2011.”

Chief Jenkins has been the Fire Chief for the Rogers Fire Department in Arkansas since 2009 and is the most recent past-president and chairman of the board for the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IACF), where he is still an active member. Chief Jenkins holds a bachelor’s degree in fire protection and safety engineering from Oklahoma State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Oklahoma.

Chief Jenkins is a 2006 graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He is also recognized by the Commission on Professional Credentialing as a Chief Fire and Chief EMS Officer. Chief Jenkins has served on the Industrial Advisory Board for Oklahoma State University’s Fire Protection and Safety Program and also serves as an adjunct professor for both Oklahoma State University and Northwest Arkansas Community College.

Chief Jenkins has long been a supporter of the PulsePoint Foundation and under his guidance, Rogers Fire Department became the first agency to implement PulsePoint Respond in the state and subsequently has been the only agency in the country to implement PulsePoint Respond, PulsePoint AED, PulsePoint Verified Responder for sworn staff and NFORS for fire analytics. As a result of his leadership, PulsePoint president and founder, Richard Price, presented Chief Jenkins with the PulsePoint 2018 System of Excellence Award at this year’s Fire Rescue International conference sponsored by the IAFC.

"As a long-time supporter of the PulsePoint mission, I’m excited to formally join the team as they continue to develop technologies that not only empower everyday citizens, but also positively impact and serve our first responders," said Jenkins. “I look forward to serving on the PulsePoint Foundation advisory board as their role as an innovative and life-saving organization continues.”

Targeted toward off-duty professionals and citizens trained in CPR, the PulsePoint app alerts users when a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurs in a nearby public place, directs them to the patient location and provides CPR guidance while advanced care travels to the scene. The app also notifies users of the closest available Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Early application of bystander CPR and rapid defibrillation from an AED have proven to be crucial in improving a person’s chance of surviving SCA. PulsePoint is not limited to emergency responders or those with official CPR certification. It can be used by anyone who has been trained in CPR.

“It is truly an honor to add Chief Jenkins to our team,” said Richard Price, President of the 501(c)(3) non-profit PulsePoint Foundation. “He’s become a leader in the industry by embracing and utilizing technology and analytics to improve efficiencies and increase citizen engagement. His expertise will be an invaluable addition to our board as we continue to explore ways to harness technology to assist communities and their emergency responders.”

Chief Jenkins joins the team as PulsePoint continues to build its installed user base, which has rapidly grown to more than 3,300 communities in 42 states with more than 1.4 million users.