SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A bill heading to the Illinois House floor could require all 9-1-1 dispatchers to be trained on telecommunicator CPR.
Rep. Lisa Davis (D-Chicago) said Thursday that instructions and guidance from dispatchers could mean the difference between life and death for someone experiencing a medical emergency.
Davis noted that telecommunicator CPR could help bridge gaps in care before first responders arrive.
"When CPR begins prior to arrival of emergency medical service, the person in cardiac arrest has a two to three fold higher likelihood of survival," Davis said. "For every minute intervention is delayed, the chance of survival decreases by 10%."
House Bill 1697 passed unanimously out of the House Police & Fire Committee Thursday morning. The legislation currently has 34 co-sponsors, including Democrats and Republicans.
"The barrier to entry for effective T-CPR programs is incredibly low. The training requires minimal investment compared to longterm healthcare savings and life saves," said Courtney Schwerin O'Reilly, Executive Director of Illinois Heart Rescue. "ILHR specifically has provided this training for free to many 9-1-1 centers across the state and has the capacity to continue that work."
Identical legislation, Senate Bill 1295, passed unanimously out of the Senate State Government Committee Wednesday. Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) said ensuring emergency dispatchers are well-equipped to handle these situations will save lives.
"T-CPR empowers bystanders to become lifesavers in the critical moments before EMS arrives," said Sarah Lackore, Illinois Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association. "By ensuring all 9-1-1 telecommunicators are trained to provide real-time CPR instructions, we can give more people the chance to survive a cardiac arrest."
Senate Bill 1295 could be voted on when senators return to Springfield March 18.
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