                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PSAP DISPATCHERS; TRAINING REQUIREMENTS (§ 56-484.16:1)

A. As used in this section:
			&#8220;Dispatcher&#8221; means an individual employed by a public safety
answering point, an emergency medical dispatch service provider, or both, who is
qualified to answer incoming emergency telephone calls or provide for the
appropriate emergency response either directly or through communication with the
appropriate PSAP.
			&#8220;Emergency Medical Dispatch&#8221; means a systematic program of
handling medical calls pursuant to which trained dispatchers determine the
nature and priority of the call, dispatch the appropriate response, and give the
caller instructions to help treat the caller until the arrival of the
appropriate responder.
			&#8220;Emergency Medical Dispatch certification&#8221; means certification by
an Office of Emergency Medical Services recognized emergency dispatch training
organization meeting or exceeding standards by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration and accepted and recognized by the American Society for
Testing Materials (ASTM).
			&#8220;Emergency Medical Dispatch education program&#8221; means an Emergency
Medical Dispatch certification education program that meets national criteria
set forth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
			&#8220;High-quality telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation
instruction&#8221; or &#8220;TCPR&#8221; means the delivery by trained 911
telecommunicators of high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction for
acute events requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation, including out-of-hospital
cardiac arrests.
			&#8220;Office&#8221; means the Office of Emergency Medical Services within
the Department of Health.

B. By July 1, 2021, the Office of Emergency Medical Services shall adopt
standards for training and equipment required for the provision of TCPR by
dispatchers. The standards shall meet or exceed nationally recognized emergency
cardiovascular care guidelines. At a minimum, training standards shall require
dispatchers to obtain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and shall
incorporate recognition protocols for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest,
compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions for callers, and
continuing education as appropriate. The Office shall update such standards as
frequently as necessary, but not more frequently than biennially, in order to
keep the standards current with nationally recognized emergency cardiovascular
care guidelines.

C. On or before January 1, 2022, each PSAP shall provide training in TCPR to
each dispatcher in its employ and shall provide its dispatchers with equipment
necessary for the provision of TCPR. The training and equipment shall comply
with the standards adopted by the Office pursuant to subsection B. Following
completion of the initial training, each dispatcher&#8217;s training shall be
updated or supplemented in order to reflect updates to the training standards.

D. An operator of a PSAP may enter into a reciprocal agreement with the operator
of another PSAP authorizing the initial PSAP to transfer callers to the other
PSAP at times that the PSAP does not have a trained dispatcher on duty who is
able to provide TCPR to a caller. If a PSAP transfers a caller under the
provisions of this subsection, the transferring PSAP shall use an evidence-based
protocol for the identification of a person in need of cardiopulmonary
resuscitation and ensure that the PSAP to which calls are transferred uses
dispatchers who meet the training requirements under subsection B to provide
assistance on administering TCPR.

E. The Office of Emergency Medical Services shall identify all public agencies
and other persons that provide TCPR training that satisfies the requirements
adopted under subsection B and set minimum standards for course approval,
instruction, and examination, including online training modules based on
nationally recognized guidelines. The Office shall implement a means to ensure
that every dispatcher who has satisfactorily completed a training program and
his employing PSAP receive a certificate of completion of the required TCPR
training.

F. No dispatcher who instructs a caller on TCPR shall be liable for any civil
damages arising out of the instruction provided to the caller, except for acts
or omissions intentionally designed to harm or for grossly negligent acts or
omissions that result in harm to an individual. A caller may decline to receive
TCPR. When a caller declines TCPR, the dispatcher has no obligation to provide
such instruction.

G. By January 1, 2024, each operator of a PSAP shall implement a requirement
that each of its dispatchers shall by July 1, 2024, have completed an Emergency
Medical Dispatch education program that complies with minimum standards
established by the Office of Emergency Medical Services. The Office shall ensure
that every dispatcher who has satisfactorily completed an Emergency Medical
Dispatch education program and his employing PSAP receive a certificate of
completion of the required education program. Following completion of the
initial Emergency Medical Dispatch education program, each dispatcher&#8217;s
training shall be updated or supplemented in order to reflect updates to the
education program.

H. Each PSAP shall conduct ongoing quality assurance of its TCPR program.

I. The State Board of Health shall adopt regulations in accordance with the
provisions of the Administrative Process Act (&#xA7; 2.2-4000 et seq.) as are
necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

HISTORY: 2020, cc. 1068, 1069.