PEI’s new Emergency Medical Dispatch system now allows 9-1-1 dispatchers to give directions such as CPR over the phone.
That allows callers to get that support over the phone until first responders arrive.
Since the system went live in August, dispatchers supported 15 cardiac-arrest callers with CPR instruction; allergic reaction callers were instructed how to administer an epipen; and several chest pain calls resulted in aspirin being taken prior to paramedics arriving on scene.
A new Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) Registry is also underway so when a call comes in for a cardiac arrest, the owner of the closest AED will be automatically notified and asked to respond.