Several Middlesex County individuals and organizations were recently honored at the American Heart Association 2016 New Jersey American Heartsaver Awards for their lifesaving efforts.
Anthony Cascio of Monroe accepted an award on behalf of Burlington County, which launched an innovative mobile app in conjunction with Virtua to help save lives within the county. Using location-aware technology, PulsePoint alerts CPR-trained persons in a public place that someone nearby is in sudden cardiac arrest and may require CPR, according to a statement prepared by the American Heart Association.
The free app is the first of its kind to be used in southern New Jersey. When a 911 call alerts dispatch to a cardiac arrest victim, the PulsePoint app is activated by the Burlington County Public Safety Communications Center while notifying local emergency responders and Virtua paramedics. When activated, anyone within a quarter mile who has downloaded the app will receive a push notification with the location of the emergency along with the location of the nearest accessible automated external defibrillator (AED). To date, the app has helped save seven lives in Burlington County.
In May 2015, a 12-year-old child collapsed during a physical education class in Franklin Township. The school nurse, Kim McNee of Edison, brought over an AED and quickly attached the device to the student and delivered one shock, according to the statement. Along with other staff members, chest compressions continued until EMTs responded and a pulse was regained.
When a freshman from Colonia High School collapsed during a basketball game, Edison residents Mark Blevins, Tim Root, Rob Roma, Chris Banos and John Scarpa came together quickly, calmly and efficiently to help save that student’s life, according to the release.
Blevins ran to get the school’s AED. Banos spoke to the 911 operator while Root started care on the student. After hooking up the AED, it was determined that a shock was needed. Root opened the student’s airway when Scarpa arrived and was able to continue aid to the student after the shock was administered. Roma addressed other needs, such as clearing the benches and gym and keeping the crowd calm and orderly so that emergency personnel could have easier access to the scene. The student is healthy and back in school.
In January 2012, Detective Derrick Jacobus helped Monroe Township Police Department and the Williamstown Fire Company receive first responder training. Due to hundreds of hours of effort by Jacobus, police and fire department members are now certified in CPR and first aid, according to the statement.
Jacobus also attacked the growing heroin epidemic by promoting the need for community CPR training in addition to relying on Narcan to respond to an overdose emergency. He secured additional funding through meetings with the mayor and administration to purchase 11 new AEDs. Additionally, the department switched from individual officer first aid kits to standard department-issued first aid bags. Since September 2014, officers have had 41 successful resuscitations from overdoses.
Jacobus has also volunteered his time to certify over 100 Boy Scouts of America’s Law Enforcement Explorers in CPR.