2019 -- H 5568

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LC001653

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- 911 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, Shekarchi, Casimiro, O'Brien, and Vella-
Wilkinson

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 39-21.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-21.1 entitled "911

Emergency Telephone Number Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     39-21.1-8. Emergency services included in system.

     (a) The 911 system shall be capable of transmitting requests for law enforcement,

firefighting, and emergency medical and ambulance services to a public safety agency or agencies

that provide the requested service at the place where the call originates. In response to requests

for emergency medical or ambulance services, the 911 system dispatchers shall also provide for

the communication of instructions to callers during the period before the arrival of emergency

responders. By July 1, 2020, the A 911 system shall include telecommunicator cardiopulmonary

resuscitation ("T-CPR"), provided by certified emergency medical dispatchers (EMD), and any

other requirements pursuant to § 23-4.1-3(c). The 911 system may also provide for transmittal of

requests for other emergency services, such as poison control, suicide prevention, and civil

defense. Conferencing capability with counseling, aid to persons with disabilities, and other

services as deemed necessary for emergency response determination may be provided by the 911

system.

     (b) Any unit of any agency or municipality in this state which provides law enforcement,

firefighting, medical, or ambulance services to an area shall be part of the 911 system. The 911

public safety answering point may transmit emergency response requests to private safety

agencies.

     (c) Automatic intrusion alarms and other automatic alerting devices shall not be installed

so as to cause the number 911 to be dialed in order to directly access emergency services.

     (d) A call review and quality improvement program on all cardiac arrest calls from the

emergency telephone system shall be established.

     (e) At least one 911 system operator trained in telecommunicator cardiopulmonary

resuscitation ("T-CPR") shall be on duty at all times to coach a person calling in about a cardiac

arrest incident until the rescue or other emergency service unit arrives.

     (f) No 911 system operator who renders emergency assistance to a person in need thereof

shall be liable for civil damages which result from acts or omissions by such person rendering the

emergency care, which may constitute ordinary negligence. This immunity does not apply to acts

or omission constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton conduct.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- 911 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER ACT

***

     This act would establish an emergency telephone system call review and quality

improvement and would require at least one 911 system operator trained in telecommunicator

cardiopulmonary resuscitation be on duty at all time.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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