The Denco Area 9-1-1 District is requesting the public’s assistance in building a database of automated external defibrillators in Denton County.
Residents can enter an AED’s location into the registry using a free app or via the district’s website. The registry integrates with the 9-1-1 system, allowing dispatchers to direct callers to the nearest defibrillator during a cardiac emergency. The project aims to increase the chance of a bystander using an AED on a cardiac arrest victim, which can greatly boost survival rates, according to a district news release.
Denco has partnered with nonprofit PulsePoint to build and maintain the local AED registry. The registry is live and everyone is encouraged to participate if they know where an AED can be found. The only requirement to add an AED to the database is an active email address.
Denco Area 9-1-1 District Executive Director Greg Ballentine said participation in the program will save lives.
“Denco is pleased to partner with the local public safety agencies to provide this additional resource for emergency response,” Ballentine said.
By downloading the free “PulsePoint AED” application or visiting denco.org/aed, users can create a new defibrillator entry and follow the prompts to set its location. Additional details, such as a photograph of the AED, are encouraged but not required. To ensure only valid AEDs are included in the 9-1-1 system, each database entry is confirmed via email and verified in-person by a public safety administrator, the news release said.
According to the American Heart Association, a cardiac arrest victim’s survival chances can double, or even triple, when a bystander starts immediate CPR and uses an AED. However, research suggests AEDs are rarely used during public cardiac arrest situations. During a cardiac arrest 9-1-1 call in the Denco district, dispatchers can now view the closest AED to the caller and instruct them on retrieving and using it, with the goal of more frequent defibrillator usage in those scenarios.
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