By SHUYA IWAMOTO/ Staff Writer
November 21, 2021 at 07:00 JST
A video tutorial on heart massage, distributed by the Kobe City Fire Bureau to those who have used the 119 number to call an ambulance, is played on a smartphone in Kobe’s Chuo Ward on Oct. 26. (Shuya Iwamoto)
KOBE--Calling the 119 number for emergency services to summon an ambulance in Kobe will result in a video tutorial prompt on smartphones on how to give a heart massage and provide other first aid treatment until help arrives.
The Kobe City Fire Bureau set up the system in November in the hope it will save more lives by showing callers how to calm a patient as much as possible while waiting for assistance.
The city fire bureau in November 2019 introduced “KobeLive119,” a video reporting system that allows callers to send in clips shot with their smartphones. This allows it to more accurately assess the condition of sick or injured people in need of rescue.
As of September, the bureau had received around 92 videos, officials said.
On average, it takes about eight minutes for an ambulance to arrive on the scene after an emergency call is received.
The city fire bureau started the video tutorial setup for smartphone users who had called emergency services on the 119 number at some point and agreed to cooperate. The tutorial explains how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and maintain breathing. It runs for about 30 seconds.
It allows callers to give a heart massage and other first-aid treatment while watching the tutorial concurrently.
Students from Kobe Gakuin University took part in a CPR drill on Oct. 26 that involved watching and relying on the video tutorial.
“I find it easier this way because I get fewer instructions than if I have to talk on the phone,” said first-year student Yuka Kimura.
“This setup allows you to perform first aid with more composure because the video tutorial is there as a backup while you are doing your best,” said Shinji Saimen, a 52-year-old section chief with the city fire bureau tasked with the command structure. “I hope people will agree to work with us this way to save the lives that could be saved.”
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