CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) — Cell phones can save lives, and now two apps can give people the ability to help someone suffering from cardiac arrest.

PulsePoint Respond and PulsePoint AED are 911-connected mobile apps that immediately alert users to nearby cardiac arrests. People can then begin performing CPR while emergency response units are on the way.

When it comes to cardiac arrest, timing is everything, as it can mean the difference between life and death.

“Improved survival is seen when people respond alongside the patient within the first two minutes of cardiac arrest,” said Dr. William Brady of the University of Virginia Health System.

He says performing CPR within the first two minutes dramatically improves survival rates, saying there is “a factor of three to six times more likely to live than someone who does not receive this care. “.

That’s why the Emergency Communications Center encourages everyone to download the PulsePoint response apps.

“What we’re doing is asking the community to download the app, and if you’re trained in CPR, you can respond immediately to the scene of this emergency,” said Sonny Saxton, executive director of the ECC. .

Communities that have already implemented these apps have seen a significant increase in the survival rate of people suffering from cardiac arrest.

For more information on how to download the app, click here.