Skagit County





PRESS RELEASE

July 22, 2025




*Contact*

Josh Pelonio

Director, Emergency Medical Services 

[email protected]

360-416-1830






FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cardiac Arrest Survivor Saved Thanks to PulsePoint Respond Smartphone App and Quick Bystander Action

 

Group photo inside Burlington Costco of paramedics and bystanders who helped save the life of Dennis Hoggarth during a cardiac arrest event.

Burlington, WA— Dennis Hoggarth of Camano Island is alive today thanks to the swift actions of bystanders including several registered nurses and a nearby off-duty firefighter/paramedic who were alerted through the PulsePoint Respond app, underscoring the lifesaving power of technology and community involvement in time-critical emergencies.

On May 23, 2025, Skagit 9-1-1 received multiple 911 calls reporting a cardiac arrest inside the Costco in Burlington. Simultaneously, an alert was sent out via the PulsePoint Respond app, which notifies CPR-trained individuals of nearby cardiac arrest events where CPR is needed.

An off-duty firefighter/paramedic with the Coeur d’ Alene, ID Fire Department was in a nearby business when he received the PulsePoint CPR-Needed alert on his phone and responded to the scene. He arrived at Dennis’ side and assisted Costco employees and other bystanders with performing CPR. Two shocks were delivered from an on-site automated external defibrillator (AED) prior to the arrival of dispatched fire and EMS units. Burlington Fire Department and Skagit County Fire District #6 firefighter/EMTs and paramedics arrived within minutes, initiated advanced life support care, and transported Dennis to a local hospital. In the weeks since the incident, Dennis has returned home with his wife of 60 years, and the opportunity to again enjoy life.

“This is exactly the type of outcome the PulsePoint Respond app was designed to achieve,” said Josh Pelonio, Director of Skagit County Emergency Medical Services. “Early bystander CPR and defibrillation can double or even triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. The use of the PulsePoint app and the training and quick response of Costco employees and community members, set the stage for this successful outcome.”

The PulsePoint Respond app connects off-duty EMS personnel as well as community members trained in CPR with individuals in cardiac arrest in their immediate vicinity, empowering everyday heroes to provide life-saving assistance while awaiting the arrival of professional responders. Skagit County EMS encourages all CPR-trained individuals to download the free PulsePoint Respond app and be part of this life-saving network.



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*About the PulsePoint Foundation*

PulsePoint is a public, 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation that builds applications for use by public safety agencies to increase community awareness during critical events. The PulsePoint Respond mobile app notifies trained individuals of the nearby need for CPR and the PulsePoint AED registry identifies AED (automated external defibrillator) locations for use by the public and 9-1-1 telecommunicators during emergency call taking. Learn more at pulsepoint.org. The free apps are available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

*About Sudden Cardiac Arrest*

Although a heart attack can lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the two are not the same. SCA is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating unexpectedly, whereas a heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked, but the heart continues to beat. Each year, more than 326,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur, making it the leading cause of death in the United States. Survival rates nationally for SCA are less than eight percent, but delivery of CPR can sustain life until paramedics arrive by maintaining vital blood flow to the heart and brain. However, only about a third of SCA victims receive bystander CPR. Without CPR, brain damage or death can occur in minutes. The average EMS response time is nine minutes, even in urban settings; after 10 minutes there is little chance of successful resuscitation. The American Heart Association estimates that effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after SCA, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

 

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Skagit County [ [link removed] ]

SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON

County Commissioners: Lisa Janicki, Peter Browning, Ron Wesen
1800 Continental Place, Suite 100
Mount Vernon, WA 98273

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