FIRST RESPONDER SAFETY

Urges the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, the Illinois State Police, the State's fire departments and districts, the Office of the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator, and all public safety agencies in the State to review policies and procedures pertaining to the potential dangers encountered by emergency medical technicians, paramedics, public safety telecommunicators, and other first responders involved in rendering medical assistance. Urges that the training of first responders include policies and procedures to improve situational awareness and communication. Urges that training also include policies and procedures to help identify potentially dangerous situations, how to properly communicate a threat, and the appropriate actions, disengagement, or response needed to de-escalate dangerous situations. Urges State's public safety agencies to critique past experiences of emergency medical responses that evolved into violent or potentially violent incidents.