Danville launches PulsePoint app to connect CPR-trained residents to cardiac emergencies

Danville is adding another layer to its emergency response system by asking trained residents to become part of the lifesaving chain before an ambulance even reaches the scene. On March 3, city officials announced the launch of PulsePoint Respond, a free mobile app that notifies CPR-trained users when someone nearby may be experiencing sudden cardiac arrest in a public location.

The Danville Fire Department and the Danville Emergency Communications Center said the app is designed to shorten the gap between collapse and first care. In those first minutes, hands-only CPR and quick access to an automated external defibrillator can change survival odds dramatically. The city said PulsePoint can also direct users to nearby AEDs while first responders are already on the way.

The rollout is significant for a city trying to build resilience beyond formal staffing levels. Danville officials said the fire department answered more than 8,000 incidents last year, including 49 cardiac arrest events. That context helps explain why the city is treating community readiness as part of public safety, not as a side program.

For residents, the message is practical: if you already know CPR, the city wants you plugged in. If you do not, this is another push to get trained. The app will not replace paramedics, but it can make the minutes before their arrival count for more.

Source: Reporting based on the City of Danville's March 3, 2026 release, PulsePoint alerts CPR responders to emergencies.