The Madeira and Indian Hill Joint Fire District is urging east-side residents to download a free app that alerts CPR-trained bystanders to nearby cardiac arrests.

Fire Chief Stephen C. Oughterson wants residents to install PulsePoint Respond, a 911-integrated smartphone app available as of Thursday, Sept. 3, across all of Hamilton County. The app notifies users when someone nearby suffers cardiac arrest in a public space and maps the nearest automated external defibrillator, or AED.

PulsePoint had been active in the City of Cincinnati for several years. The countywide expansion brings it to communities including Madeira, Indian Hill, Mariemont, Terrace Park and Sycamore Township, WLWT reported Sept. 3.

The Hamilton County Emergency Communications Center handled more than 600,000 assistance requests in 2025, according to WLWT. About 7,000 were cardiac-related. Of those, 1,700 involved confirmed cardiac arrests that required help beyond the initial 911 response.

Cincinnati's bystander CPR rate sits at roughly 30%, below the 46% national average, according to UC Health. Effective bystander CPR can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival, according to the PulsePoint Foundation, citing the American Heart Association.

"CPR is critical. AED is critical. Getting us on the road is critical," Oughterson told WLWT. "All of these things help link the chain of survival and increase survival rates."

How the app works

After downloading PulsePoint Respond from the Apple App Store or Google Play, users certify they are trained in CPR and willing to help. The app then sends push notifications when a 911 cardiac arrest call comes in nearby. It also provides CPR and AED instructions, so residents who are not yet certified can still register.

The app works only for incidents in public spaces, not private residences. It does not track or store personal data.

Andy Neff, director of the Hamilton County Emergency Communications Center, compared AED awareness to fire safety. He said people instinctively reach for a fire extinguisher during a fire but do not yet have the same reflex with AEDs during a cardiac event.

Local AED efforts

Madeira has been building its AED infrastructure. In July 2024, the city received a grant through AEDGrant.com for reduced pricing on AEDs at McDonald Commons, Sellman Park and the Madeira Municipal Building, according to city council records. The grant cut up to $1,000 off the cost of each device.

PulsePoint Respond is available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play.