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Paramedic invents device to help first responders locate homes

Paramedic Johnathan Harrison said a tragic incident on his job inspired him to create a device that would make 911 callers’ homes more visible to first responders

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By Laura French

TULSA, Okla. — A paramedic has invented a device designed to help first responders more easily locate homes when responding to emergencies.

Paramedic Johnathan Harrison created The Locator, a strobe light and accompanying app that can be activated to light up a person’s home when they call for emergency services, according to KJRH.

Harrison, who has worked in EMS for 25 years, said he was inspired to create the device after an incident in 2009 when he was working in Tennessee; Harrison said his crew was initially unable to locate the mobile home of a 2-year-old in cardiac arrest.

“This unfortunately added almost 4 minutes to the time of arrival at the child’s side. That does not sound like a lot of time but in a cardiac arrest situation it could literally mean the difference between life and death,” a statement on The Locator’s website reads. “Sadly, the child did not survive and that call has haunted the crew for over a decade.”

Residents who purchase the bulb can install it in place of their porch light or another light that is visible from the road and use it as a regular light bulb until they need emergency services. When the resident calls 911, the app will activate the bulb through Wi-Fi connection and cause it to flash strobing red, white and blue lights.

The Locator first became available for purchase on Sept. 18, when a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma with Tulsa Homicide Detective Jason White.

Harrison is also the inventor of Loli-O’s, a device designed to allow children with respiratory problems to self-adminster blow-by oxygen by licking a sugar-free lollipop.

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