A local State Senator is celebrating the passage of a new bill she says will save lives.  State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) sponsored Senate Bill 1295, which passed the chamber with bipartisan support.

The bill would mandate that emergency medical dispatchers in Illinois be trained in giving instructions for CPR.  Dispatchers would be able to relay these instructions to a caller who reports a cardiac arrest.  Experts say this would help the caller give CPR between when they make the call and when first responders arrive, likely saving lives. 

The American Heart Association and the Illinois State Police led the effort.  The Office of the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator – which is part of the Illinois State Police – would organize the trainings.

More information on the bill can be found on www.ilga.gov.