Requires 911 call-takers and dispatchers to complete telecommunicator CPR training which shall include recognizing signs of cardiac arrest during emergency calls, providing instructions for initiating CPR instructions to callers, coordinating with emergency medical services dispatch, and using automated external defibrillators when available and appropriate.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5371A
SPONSOR: Paulin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the county law and the administrative code of the city
of New York, in relation to requiring telecommunicator cardiopulmonary
resuscitation training for 911 call-takers and dispatchers
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill requires T-CPR (telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resusci-
tation) training for 911 operators and emergency dispatchers. Following
the example set by several states in the US, this piece of legislation
would enhance the probabilities of survival of victims of sudden cardiac
arrest (SCA).
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill amends Section 328 of the county law by adding
a new subdivision 4-a defining CPR, T-CPR, and requiring all 911 call-
takers and dispatchers to complete T-CPR training and annual follow-up;
furthermore, it underscores what said training would entail. It reads
that 911 call-takers and dispatchers employed before the effective date
of this subdivision shall complete T-CPR training within twelve months
of the effective date of the subdivision; likewise, 911 call-takers and
dispatchers hired after the effective date, shall complete such training
within twelve months of their employment.
Section two amends the administrative code of the city of New York by
adding a new section 10-187 including provisions similar to the ones
outlined in Section one.
Section three enunciates the severability clause annexed to the act.
Section four provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating, and blood
stops flowing to the rest of the body (CDC, 2024); younger individuals
can be victims as well. In the United States, more than 365,000 people
suffer from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) each year in an out-of hospital
environment (reports from American Heart Association). Among these
people, 60% to 80% of them die before reaching the hospital. Even those
who survive may still face consequences such as brain injury, injury to
internal organs, and psychological distress (CDC, 2024).
In the case of a SCA, prompt 911 calls made by people around the victim
are vital in determining the probability of survival. While distance to
hospitals may vary from case to case, telecommunicators remain the true
first responders in these instances, capable of concretely changing
their outcomes. That is why it is crucial to require that CPR training
for 911 call-takers and dispatchers become compulsory, with annual
follow-up training. Said training shall include the recognition of signs
of cardiac arrest during emergency calls, and the provision of step-by-
step CPR instructions to callers. Telecommunicator CPR (T-CPR)
increases the probability of saving lives by keeping the victim's brain
and heart alive until EMS arrives to provide vital interventions (Ameri-
can Heart Association).
Several states in the US have already required CPR training to be
compulsory for emergency dispatchers and operators. In 2018, Louisiana,
Kentucky, and Wisconsin set the example. In 2019, it was Indiana, Mary-
land, Minnesota and West Virginia. In 2020 and 2021, Virginia, Arkansas,
Rhode Island, Texas and Tennessee enacted similar legislation. Most
recently, Oklahoma, Georgia, and South Carolina joined the list, and a
handful of other states are considering the implementation of similar
legislation.
Requiring T-CPR training for all 911 dispatchers in New York State is a
simple measure that could save many lives.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The act shall take effect immediately.
