SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — 911 operators may soon be able to provide lifesaving CPR care over the phone after a measure was passed by a state representative on April 7.

State Rep. Lisa Davis (D-Chicago) passed House Bill 1687 to train emergency dispatchers to give tele-CPR instruction over the phone. The dispatchers would specifically be trained to learn telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR).

“911 operators are the first emergency personnel who a victim will interact with, and their timely intervention can mean the difference between life and death in the most serious scenarios,” Davis said. “Having operators who are able to guide victims and others during times of crisis will save lives and make our emergency services more effective.”

This measure is expected to save lives by ensuring that the emergency dispatchers who answer phone calls are able to relay accurate T-CPR instructions to a caller. The bill passed out of the House on Monday and now heads to the Senate.

“As the wife of a Chicago firefighter, I know how important each and every one of our first responders are,” Davis said. “Providing them with the tools and training they need to do their jobs better makes us all safer.”