Arizona Has a Better Way to Stay Informed in Emergencies

"Cochise County likes to stay informed, but not at the price of their mental health."

This was the consensus, after a lively conversation we had with our social media users last week.

Is Posting Real-Time Accidents Good or Bad for the Community?

We had a spirited social media debate last week on our Facebook page.

We discussed the question: “Do you think posting real‑time accident scenes helps keep the community informed, or does it cross a line into exploiting tragedy?

Most who participated in the discussion agreed that knowing the location of accidents or emergencies helped the public stay informed, find alternate routes, and allowed responders to do their job efficiently.

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The Wrong Information Delivery System

While the information is important, not everyone agrees with the way the messages are currently being delivered. They didn't think the current social media model was effective, and it raised many privacy concerns.

Many noted that posting photos and videos of accident scenes or ongoing emergencies, such as fires or police standoffs, had negative consequences, particularly for victims and their families.

One person even related how she’d seen a photo of her traumatized children in the aftermath of a traffic accident that was posted on the social media page. It was a mental image, she relayed, that she could never shake, and it haunts her to this day.

One user pointed out that the very nature of the social media algorithm meant you might never see the post, or you might see it many, many times, which could be highly traumatizing to the victims. “No one checks social media before they get into their car,” one person said. “So it doesn’t make sense to post these things.”

There’s got to be a better way.

Thankfully, there is a better way to get the information you need, with real-time notifications that include location maps, but without gruesome pictures or video. It’s called PulsePoint, a free app that lets mobile users customize the push notifications to their preferences.

READ MORE: Traffic Accident Posts vs. Victim Exploitation

What PulsePoint Is and Why Arizona Uses It

I first learned about PulsePoint during our local Firefighters’ Toy Drive. The firefighters and first responders told me they use the app to stay informed when they’re away from radios or off duty. It helps them stay in the loop and keep tabs on their colleagues to make sure they're safe.

PulsePoint is a 911‑connected mobile app and a 501(c)(3) non-profit that, according to their website, "helps public safety agencies inform and engage their citizens."

It’s designed to keep communities informed about emergency incidents and to help mobilize nearby CPR‑trained citizens when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest. Arizona agencies use PulsePoint because it strengthens the chain of survival.

It can help a victim before first responders arrive and dramatically improve the chance of survival.

The app alerts trained users when CPR is needed nearby and shows real‑time fire and medical calls happening in the community. If you’re not CPR- or First Aid-trained, but you value knowing what’s happening with emergencies in our community, this is the perfect way to stay informed.

READ MORE: How Sierra Vista Firefighters Bring Joy To Local Children

How Cochise County Residents Can Use It

Cochise County residents can follow local fire and EMS activity using PulsePoint Respond or PulsePoint Respond for Web, which provides a customizable live incident feed. For example, you can set the app to alert you to fire incidents, such as smoke above the Huachuca Mountains, but choose not to receive alerts about downed power lines.

The app lets you decide which incident types you want to receive notifications for, and keeps you informed in real time about the events most relevant to you. Residents can add Cochise County agencies to their feeds for a clear view of active calls, responses, and incident locations for medical emergencies, fires, and other safety events.

READ MORE: Understanding The Benefits Of Prescribed Burns In Cochise County

Keeping Travelers Informed and Safer on the Roads

PulsePoint isn’t just for medical emergencies. The app also provides public-interest alerts for hazards such as wildfires, flooding, and utility emergencies.

This is a good, consistent, and focused way for Cochise County residents and travelers to stay informed, without having to hunt for it on social media or finding it long after the incident is over and the information is no longer relevant. This real‑time situational awareness makes everyday travel safer and more predictable.

Townsquare Media and our radio stations are not affiliated with PulsePoint, but we share it as a public service. Download the free PulsePoint app for Android or iOS today to stay informed: PulsePoint.