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Multiple lives in Cambridgeshire have been saved by quick-thinking officers and staff in the past year thanks to a new smart phone app.
Since the force began using GoodSAM in October last year, eight lives have been saved by officers performing CPR.
The force is celebrating those saved lives to mark Restart a Heart Day on Sunday. The day aims to raise awareness of cardiac arrest and help people to learn life-saving first aid.
Pictured: PC Patryk Warmuz receives a commendation from Sergeant Chris Postill.
Using GPS and an ambulance service system, the app issues alerts for nearby cardiac arrests and its sole purpose is to cover the time between a 999 call being made and paramedics arriving.
Sergeant Chris Postill, from the Digital Policing Team, said: “Upon launching this initiative last year, our view was that to save a single life would represent success and render the scheme worthwhile.
“A year on however, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire officers have administered successful CPR on multiple occasions – enabling these patients to be transported to hospital alive for urgent medical treatment, giving them the best possible chance of recovery.
“The fantastic success of this scheme is testament to the enthusiasm if our officers and their willingness to respond – often whilst off-duty – to calls for help.”
Nicholas Jones, technology manager at East of England Ambulance Service, said: “We have had GoodSAM operational for over three years now.
“When we first considered implementing the software we agreed that if we could save just one life through this application it would be worth it.
“I am pleased to say this software has not just saved one life, it has saved many lives.”
Professor Mark Wilson, medical director and co-founder of GoodSAM, said: “When someone has a cardiac arrest, seconds count.
“GoodSAM is proud to enable East of England Ambulance service to alert Cambridgeshire Constabulary to cardiac arrests nearby.
“The forward-thinking teams in these services have led the way in what can be achieved and we hope this can be replicated across the country.”