Residents in Evendale, Woodlawn, Sharonville and Springdale can now receive real-time alerts when someone nearby suffers cardiac arrest, thanks to a countywide rollout of the free PulsePoint app across Hamilton County.

The app connects to the 911 system, notifying CPR-trained bystanders of cardiac emergencies in public spaces and directing them to the nearest automated external defibrillator, or AED. PulsePoint had been active in Cincinnati for several years but is now available throughout the county, WLWT reported Sept. 3.

In 2025, the Hamilton County Emergency Communications Center handled roughly 7,000 cardiac-related incidents out of more than 600,000 total assistance requests. Of those, about 1,700 were confirmed cardiac arrests requiring additional help.

"CPR is critical. AED is critical. Getting us on the road is critical," Steve Oughterson, fire chief of the Madeira & Indian Hill Joint Fire District, told WLWT. "All of these things help link the chain of survival and increase survival rates."

Andy Neff, director of the Hamilton County Emergency Communications Center, told WLWT the goal is to make AEDs as familiar as fire extinguishers. He said most people would grab an extinguisher or pull a fire alarm without hesitation but do not yet think the same way about AEDs.

To sign up, users download PulsePoint, confirm they are CPR-trained and willing to respond, then choose which types of incidents to receive and set their location. The app sends an alert only after a 911 call has been placed.

People without CPR training can also use the app. It provides step-by-step instructions for performing CPR and operating an AED.

The app is free, does not track or store personal data, and only activates for incidents in public spaces. It does not send alerts for emergencies inside private homes.

The app was first released in April 2010, according to the PulsePoint Foundation. It was developed through a partnership between the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District in California and the College of Informatics at Northern Kentucky University. The foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, now manages the app and the National Emergency AED Registry.

Residents can download PulsePoint from the Apple App Store or Google Play.