R.I. State Police Superintendent Asks Governor For Funds To Train E-911 Call Takers

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island’s state police superintendent is recommending that all of the state’s 911 call takers be trained to provide emergency medical instructions over the phone before first-responders arrive.

Col. James M. Manni on Friday confirmed that he is asking Gov. Gina Raimondo to have all 34 telecommunicators and 8 supervisors in the 911 emergency center certified in emergency medical dispatch, or EMD.

EMD certification is required for people who answer emergency medical calls in every other New England state.

Manni’s efforts follow a story by The Public’s Radio and ProPublica last month about a 6-month-old baby in Warwick who was the subject of an emergency 911 call last year. The family told 911 that the baby was “unresponsive” and turning purple, but they were never instructed in CPR. The baby died. The news organizations’ investigation also found serious shortcomings in the way Rhode Island 911 call takers are trained.

Read more: https://thepublicsradio.org/article/r-i-state-police-superintendent-asks-governor-for-funds-to-train-e-911-call-takers-