It is time that we see a change in the number of individuals that survive sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in South Carolina. Currently, there is only about a 12% survival rate for those who experience SCA outside of the hospital setting. With a large majority of cardiac events happening at home, implementing proper protocols could mean saving the life of a family member, neighbor, or friend.
Having been an EMT, I’ve seen the critical role that 911 operators serve in these traumatic events. Telecommunicators (911 operators) are the true first responders and a critical link in the cardiac arrest chain of survival.
Telecommunicators in South Carolina are only required to undergo a one-week training program to become certified to respond to and handle emergencies over the phone. After this initial training, our state does not require ongoing training or recertification. Our telecommunicators are too important in life and death situations to not provide them the ongoing training and support that South Carolina requires for our other first responders that include fire, police, and paramedics.
By introducing statewide policies that would require further training, we could save more lives of those we love most. States who have adopted laws around tele-CPR training have seen an increase in survival rates. Having laws like this in place could increase survival rates by 15%.
We recently celebrated National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. What better way to show these dispatchers appreciation than to give them the proper and thorough training they need to confidently teach CPR over the phone? Now is the time for South Carolina to equip our telecommunicators with the skills to save lives. If you know a telecommunicator, thank them for the important and often overlooked work they do to keep us safe and calm in the most dire circumstances.
Joshua P. Trout, MHA, CLC, PCC
Upstate American Heart Association Board of Directors
