To combat the low rate of bystander intervention during cardiac arrests, the CGDIS has launched a new app that directs volunteers to victims and defibrillators.
A new application launched in Luxembourg aims to improve cardiac arrest survival rates by mobilising bystanders and guiding them through emergency procedures.
The Staying Alive LU app, presented to the press on Thursday morning by the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS), seeks to bridge the critical gap between a cardiac arrest and the arrival of professional help. With approximately 500 cases occurring in the Grand Duchy each year, the initiative addresses a significant public health concern.
The app functions as a community alert system. Volunteers who register can receive a notification if a cardiac arrest is reported nearby. They are then shown the victim's location on a map and can choose to accept or decline the call for help.
People who agree to help can then be guided step-by-step through the rescuscitation process, explained Tom Barnig, Director of Operational Cooperation at the CGDIS.
The programme is designed to be inclusive. While the CGDIS encourages users to complete a formal first aid course, those without training can still participate. These individuals can specify in the app that they are only available to retrieve the nearest defibrillator. If alerted, they will receive instructions on the defibrillator's location and be tasked with bringing it to the scene for use by emergency services.
This focus on rapid intervention is crucial. According to Dr Olivier Pierrard, bystanders initiate cardiac resuscitation in only about half of all cases. "Knowing that the first ten minutes of a cardiac arrest are the minutes that count, what we would really like to achieve [...] is to have more bystanders starting resuscitation procedures as quickly as possible," he said.
The CGDIS also reminds the public that the emergency number 112 remains the first point of contact in any crisis. Dispatchers can provide life-saving instructions over the phone until help arrives.
After a testing phase that began in June, the Staying Alive LU app is now available to the general public.
