This bill updates the existing Emergency 911 system to improve outcomes for individuals suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SAC). The Commonwealth’s 911 system responds to about 10 victims a day, but the survival rate is nearly ten times lower than in other parts of the country.
The legislation:
Requires that all dispatchers that provide dispatch for emergency medical conditions be trained in telephone-CPR
Adds a physician with a specialty in emergency medicine and a regional EMS expert to the State 911 Commission
Establishes a registry of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) accessible by 911 operators to make them easier to locate in an emergency
Adds Sudden Cardiac Arrest to the list of reportable diseases, allowing the Commonwealth to collect improved data on these incidents.