Context
In Luxembourg, 500 people die each year as a result of cardiac arrest. Although in 70% of cases people witness the scene, the survival rate is currently only 9.8%; in the event of cardiopulmonary arrest, every minute without cardiac massage reduces the chances of survival by 10%. Only early treatment can save victims.
Objectives
To improve the care of victims of cardiac arrest, the Corps grand-ducal d’incendie et de secours (CGDIS) launched Staying Alive LU.
Staying Alive LU is a mobile application intended for the general public, technically integrated into the CSU-112 operator’s workflow. It allows a user – the Cardiac First Responder – to be mobilised so that they can intervene in the event of a cardiac arrest occurring nearby, thereby helping to reduce the response time until the emergency services arrive. The main objective of this service is to strengthen the chain of survival and reduce pre-hospital response times for cardiac arrests.
The app offers every citizen the opportunity to contribute on three levels:
- trained Cardiac First Responders who provide first aid to the victim
- untrained Cardiac First Responders who are responsible for fetching an automated external defibrillator (AED) in the event of an alert
- contributors who help to further improve the mapping of available AEDs.
Once alerted by CSU-112 via the app, the Cardiac First Responder can quickly locate the nearest AEDs and be guided by the CSU-112 operator in an emergency. This app is therefore an essential tool for improving the chances of survival in the event of cardiac arrest.
Implementation
Together with the association Le Bon Samaritain (The Good Samaritan), the Staying Alive LU app has been developed based on the model of the French Staying Alive app, which allows a sharing of their expertise and to integrate a wider network to expand the response network.