Ryan Helps Pass Bill Training 911 Operators to Provide Lifesaving Telehealth CPR, Promote Public Safety

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — 911 operators will be prepared to provide potentially lifesaving care over the phone due to a measure supported by state Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, training emergency dispatchers to give tele-CPR instruction over the phone.

“Especially in rural and very dense residential areas, response times from first responders can be extended, and 911 callers might need to take action to provide medical care themselves,” Ryan said. “Ensuring that emergency dispatchers are equipped to guide callers through administering CPR will save countless lives across our state.”

Ryan helped pass 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 recently passed out of the House with unanimous support and now will be considered in the Senate.

“Well-trained emergency dispatchers are the foundation of an effective team of first responders that will keep our neighborhood a good place to live,” Ryan said. “This goes hand-in-hand with steps like bolstering criminal penalties and closing consumer protection loopholes-progress I also fought for-in creating a comprehensive legal framework for public safety.”