An iPhone application created by interns at Northern Kentucky University’s Center for Applied Informatics has turned into something much bigger, according to a report over at TechCrunch this week. In San Ramon, California a press conference featuring Fire Chief Richard Price, International Association of Fire Chiefs President Jack Parow, Workday CEO Dave Duffield, and Tim O’Reilly of O’Reilly Media announced an initiative to use the app, called Fire Department to enable users to help strangers in need of emergency CPR.

The app allows users who have been trained in CPR and who are willing to help strangers in need, to receive an alert if someone is located in their general area. When a 911 dispatch center receives a call for an emergency occurring near the user, a push notification is sent to the user with the victim's location along with an alert about whether an automated external defibillator is located on the way or nearby.

We have reported before on augmented reality applications for locating AEDs, but this app takes that idea much further. The idea that a mobile health app could tie into the 911 dispatch system, alert CPR-trained citizens to others in need and provide the users with locations of AEDs is an inspiring concept.

It's also fraught with potential issues -- liability being top of mind. Still the Fire Department app is a sign that mobile health is maturing and securing real attention from the healthcare industry's frontline care providers.

For more including a great discussion in the comments, check out the TechCrunch article