A new law in effect in West Virginia could potentially help save lives.
911 emergency dispatchers in the state are now required to have training in telephonic CPR instruction. In other words, when people call 911, dispatchers can now tell callers over the phone how to practice CPR.
Rick Woodyard, the director of the Wood County 911 Center, says the law is aimed at centers that don’t have emergency medical dispatch programs. He says the Wood County 911 Center has had the program for years, allowing dispatchers to better handle medical calls.
“It’s really important for the dispatchers to ask questions and try to closely get as much information as they can from the person so the responding emergency medical crews can be properly prepared and ready to respond quickly when they arrive on the scene with the equipment relating to that specific medical condition," Woodyard said.
The law went into effect Monday.