What is citizen responding?
In Europe (730 million inhabitants) every year around 350,000 to 700,000 people are affected by a cardiac arrest. In 41% of all deaths a cardiac arrest is the cause of death, which is 1,000 deaths a day. To decrease mortality by cardiac arrest, nearby citizen responders are alerted for resuscitation.
Why are citizens deployed as a citizen responder?
To survive a cardiac arrest, the first six minutes are absolutely crucial. However, the arrival time of ambulances is often longer, which reduces the survival chances of the victim more and more.
Nearby citizens can often get on site within six minutes. In addition many people are trained to resuscitate and to use and apply an AED. For example a training for in-company-emergencies or a first aid course, but also specific resuscitation courses. Because they can be with the victim quickly, citizens can really make the difference between life and death.
Stan has been active with the alert system since 2008. Thanks to a network of citizen responders and AEDs everywhere in the Netherlands and beyond, more than 40 CPR-alerts are processed daily. And in 90% of the cases citizen responders actually go to the victim to provide first aid until the ambulance arrives.
How does the alert system work?
- someone gets a cardiac arrest
- all nearby citizen responders receive an alert
- you reply to the alert via the app with ‘Accept’ or ‘Decline’ only if you accept
- the alert contains an instruction to go directly to the victim to start resuscitation or an instruction to get an AED first and than go to the victim
- if you accept, the exact location of the victim including a map and route description will be pushed to you
- if you get an AED, you also receive the address of the AED location and (if applicable) the PIN code of the AED cabinet