A neighborhood defibrillation program in Syracuse, New York, utilizes pagers to alert trained volunteers of heart emergencies in their community. A coordinated fire and EMS operation serves the large metropolitan area.

"What happens is that members of our community alert response team, or CART, monitor pagers set to the frequency used by the fire department," paramedic Sammy Suriani told NHW. "When the fire department is paged, team members will know when it is for their particular neighborhood and respond if the call meets certain criteria."

On several calls, trained volunteers have arrived minutes ahead of EMS personnel.

Two defibrillators rotate every two weeks among a dozen neighbors in the 280-home community. Small signs on mailboxes mark defibrillator locations.

Local health officials support the initiative, according to Suriani, who launched the program last summer.

"We have set up a quarterly training program with the fire department," he said. "We provide defibrillator training, handle paperwork, and help everyone get a good feel for how the neighborhood is set up. Team members are also required to take a one-hour team safety course."

Flexibility is key to a successful neighborhood defibrillation program.

"You have to look at what you have and how you can adapt those tools for the area," explained Suriani. "The potential is very exciting. Eventually, you will save lives. It's a no-brainer."