SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner passed a measure through committee to mandate training for emergency medical dispatchers on how to provide CPR instructions to someone experiencing cardiac arrest.

“We are losing too many of our friends and family to heart disease,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Ensuring that our emergency dispatchers are well-equipped to handle these situations will save lives.”

Senate Bill 1295 would mandate all 9-1-1 telecommunicators to be trained in telecommunicator-CPR and would require emergency medical dispatchers to be trained in T-CPR. T-CPR is when a dispatcher provides over-the-phone CPR instructions to someone experiencing cardiac arrest. This process is a key part of the chain of survival for cardiac arrest.

Senate Bill 1295 is an initiative of the American Heart Association with backing from the Illinois State Police. The trainings would be put on by the Office of the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator, which is a division of the Illinois State Police.

“T-CPR empowers bystanders to become lifesavers in the critical moments before EMS arrives,” said Illinois Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association Sarah Lackore. “Every year, more than 350,000 people experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and sadly, only one in 10 survive.  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. This legislation is a vital step in strengthening the chain of survival and saving more lives in our communities.”

Senate Bill 1295 passed the Senate State Government Committee with bipartisan support.