Utilizing a Full-Suite PulsePoint Integration to Address Out-of-Hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrests in Alaska’s Fairbanks North Star Borough

CASE STUDY / APRIL 2021

Alaska’s Fairbanks North Star Borough sought to address the rural community challenges of low bystander engagement and slower response times in out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest response. As part of a comprehensive strategy that included participation in the C.A.R.E.S. Registry and Resuscitation Academy, bystander CPR training, CPR and AED awareness programs, and strategic AED placement, Fairbanks launched PulsePoint May 2019.

Filed Under: Case Study, Highlights | Tagged With: Fairbanks, North Star Borough, Alaska, Rural, AED Registry, AED Management, AED Program, AED Registration, AED, Bystander Engagement, CARES, CARES Registry, Sudden Cardiac Arrest, cardiac arrest, Response Time, Resuscitation Academy, CPR, CPR Training, AED Awareness, Strategic AED Placement, Verified Responder, Cardiac Arrest Survival Rate, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Douglas Schrage, EMS Leadership, Case Study, Best Practice, Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, Fairbanks Emergency Communication Center, FECC, PSAP AED Registry, PSAP, PulsePoint Respond, Verified Responder Pro, Bleeding Control Kit, Naloxone, Epinephrine, PulsePoint AED, AED Consumable, Western Fire Chiefs Association, WFCA, Interior Fire Chiefs Association, Geoff Coon, Rotary Club of Fairbanks, Foundation Health Partners, CAD, American Red Cross, American Heart Association

March 3, 2021

Saving lives in Fairbanks, a PulsePoint at a time

Every day, people die when their heart stops pumping because of heart disease and other causes.

In the Fairbanks area alone, more than 50 people die annually from cardiac arrest. Many times, there are people nearby that are trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. CPR can sustain a life in the crucial ﬁrst few minutes following a cardiac arrest. The problem is that the people trained in CPR often aren’t aware that somebody nearby needs their help.

We are fortunate that in Fairbanks we have ambulances staﬀed with highly trained, well-equipped emergency medical technicians and paramedics, a ﬁrst-class 911 system to dispatch them, and a superb emergency department at our community hospital. Even in the very best system, though, it takes several minutes for someone to dial 911 and for emergency medical personnel to arrive at the scene of the emergency.