Summary
This bill would make changes to the existing Emergency 911 system to improve outcomes for individuals suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SAC). The Commonwealth’s E911 system responds to about 10 victims a day, but the survival rate is nearly ten times lower than other parts of the country. These improvements are largely due to the expansion of Dispatcher Assisted CPR, during which a 911 dispatcher walks a responsible bystander over the phone. The legislation would require that all dispatchers that provide dispatch for emergency medical conditions be trained in telephone-CPR. The bill would also add a physician with a specialty in emergency medicine and a regional EMS expert to the State 911 Commission. It would also add Sudden Cardiac Arrest to the list of reportable diseases, allowing the Commonwealth to collect improved data on these incidents.