When there is an emergency, we know to dial 911 and the dispatchers who answer the call are often the first point of contact in an emergency, and the gateway to our emergency response system. Dispatchers have the unique opportunity to help callers as they wait for first responders to arrive. Please support SB76 An Act relative to improving the outcomes for sudden cardiac arrest in Georgia by contacting one or more of the 13 Senators found on the following link, which will ensure all dispatchers are trained and able to coach bystanders to perform CPR.
https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/59236
Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death, with more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring each year in the United States. It strikes suddenly and without warning, and what happens in the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death. For every minute without CPR, survival from a witnessed cardiac arrest decreases 7-10 percent. With EMS response times in many rural areas, the need for CPR to be initiated prior to EMS arrival is even greater.
Dispatchers can and should be trained to provide CPR instructions to bystanders. They can coach callers with real-time, step-by-step instructions, enabling those callers to become lifesavers while awaiting EMS arrival. This is known as dispatcher-assisted CPR (or telephone CPR). The goal is to ensure all that all dispatchers receive this training, and as a result, all callers are provided with this important instruction. Dispatcher-assisted CPR has been shown to significantly increase bystander CPR rates and cardiac arrest survival. It has the potential to increase the chances by 15% of a bystander to step-in and perform CPR. Real experiences also show that even trained bystanders may need coaching during this difficult and often frantic time. Even those without previous CPR knowledge can quickly be instructed.
Dispatcher assisted CPR is also an effective and low-cost strategy to improve cardiac arrest survival, yet it is underutilized. More comprehensive implementation of CPR pre-arrival instructions has the potential to save numerous lives each year. We ask you to please support SB76 ensuring all dispatchers are trained and able to provide this lifesaving instruction.
Frank Edward Ryan, JD
Senior Advisor, State Government Affairs
American College of Cardiology
240-620-9352
fryan@ACC.org
www.ACC.org