When Seconds Count: RI Bill Calls For CPR-Trained 911 Operators

PROVIDENCE, RI — In an emergency situation, seconds can make the difference between life and death. To help Rhode Island residents, a local lawmaker is calling for increased CPR certifications for the state's 911 operators. Under the bill, at least one operator trained in telecommunicator CPR would be required to be on duty at all times.

"911 operators are the real first responders and can make the difference between life and death," Rep. Mia Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln) said. "When CPR starts before the arrival of an emergency medical technician, the person in cardiac arrest is two-to-three times more likely to survive. T-CPR can help untrained callers provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It can also remind those who are trained how to provide high-quality CPR."

Through telecommunicator CPR, dispatchers provide callers with step-by-step instructions while also gauging the severity of the situation.

"It is through these actions that the telecommunicator can make the difference between life and death," the American Heart Association wrote on its website.

If passed, the bill would establish a review process of the current emergency telephone system and make suggestions for improvement as well as creating the certification requirement.

According to the American Heart Association, approximately 350,000 cardiac arrest incidents happen in the U.S. every year outside of hospitals, nearly always leading to calls to 911. The sooner CPR is started, the greater the chance of survival.

"Implementing a policy where operators trained in T-CPR are always on duty could save countless lives," Rep. Ackerman said. "Emergency telecommunicators are a vital link in the lifesaving chain, and this legislation will help to ensure that CPR is being performed before emergency medical personnel arrive."

The bill is cosponsored by Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), Julie Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter), William W. O’Brien (D-Dist. 54, North Providence) and Camille F.J. Vella-Wilkinson (D-Dist. 21, Warwick). It has been referred to the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare for review.