Davis Passes Bill Training 911 Operators to Provide Lifesaving Telehealth CPR

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — 911 operators will be prepared to provide potentially lifesaving care over the phone due to a measure passed by state Rep. Lisa Davis, D-Chicago, training emergency
dispatchers to give tele-CPR instruction over the phone.

“911 operators are the first emergency personnel who a victim will interact with, and their timely intervention can mean the difference between life and death in the most serious scenarios,” said Davis. “Having operators who are able to guide victims and others during times of crisis will save lives and make our emergency services more effective.”

Davis passed House Bill 1697, which will train emergency dispatchers in telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR). The measure will save lives by ensuring that the individuals who answer emergency phone calls are able to relay accurate T-CPR instructions to a caller. The measure passed out of the House on Monday and now heads to the Senate.

“As the wife of a Chicago firefighter, I know how important each and every one of our first responders are,” said Davis. “Providing them with the tools and training they need to do their jobs better makes us all safer.”