Legislature(2009 - 2010)CAPITOL 106
03/25/2010 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB309 | |
| HB361 | |
| HB392 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 309 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 361 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 392 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 361-CPR TRAINING FOR 911 DISPATCHERS
4:03:30 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 361, "An Act requiring 911 dispatchers to be
trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and providing for an
effective date." [In front of the committee was the proposed
committee substitute (CS) for HB 361, 26-LS1478\R,
Luckhaupt/Mischel, 3/11/10.]
CRYSTAL KOENEMAN, Staff to Representative Anna Fairclough,
Alaska State Legislature, explained that HB 361 was an act
requiring that 911 dispatchers be trained in cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR). She offered her belief that this was an
important step as Alaska was one of only 18 states which did not
mandate this.
4:04:49 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute
(CS) for HB 361, 26-LS1478\R, Luckhaupt/Mischel, 3/11/10, as the
working document. There being no objection, Version R was
before the committee.
MS. KOENEMAN explained that the 911 coordinator was currently a
position within the Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs
(DMVA), and it was suggested the coordinator position should be
moved to the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
4:06:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked if it would be necessary to have
a person certified in CPR in each bush Alaska community.
4:06:21 PM
MS. KOENEMAN replied that most municipalities had dispatchers
trained as emergency medical dispatchers, which included CPR.
She acknowledged that bush dispatchers would be required to
receive CPR training and that CPR certification was available
online.
4:07:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON questioned the value of an online CPR
training and certification.
MS. KOENEMAN said that the 911 coordinator would facilitate and
monitor the CPR training.
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked how many communities needed the
CPR certification for its dispatchers.
MS. KOENEMAN said that it was difficult to get the exact
information.
4:09:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON reported that CPR no longer included
airway breathing, and was now only "100 beats per minute." He
asked if this CPR adaptation would affect the wording in the
proposed bill and that the bill might be mandating something
that was no longer recommended.
4:10:15 PM
MS. KOENEMAN noted that she was aware of the new chest pump
protocol and she suggested that DMVA or DPS might have more
information.
4:10:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked if there was a fiscal note.
MS. KOENEMAN replied that a new fiscal note was forthcoming from
DPS. She pointed out that the bill did have a referral to the
House Finance Committee.
4:11:33 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER suggested forwarding the bill to the House
Finance Committee.
4:12:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN asked about the pros and cons for moving the
911 coordinator position within departments.
4:12:26 PM
MS. KOENEMAN replied that neither department had objected. She
opined that DMVA had initially received federal funding for the
position. In response to Representative Lynn, she said the
decision came through discussions with both the departments.
4:13:40 PM
MICHAEL O'HARE, Deputy Director, Division of Homeland
Security/Emergency Management, Department of Military &
Veterans' Affairs (DMVA), explained that the position had been
created at the end of 2004 for emergency communications as DMVA
had responsibility for emergency communications during a
catastrophic disaster. He explained that the day to day 911
system should belong in the Department of Public Safety (DPS),
and as defined in statute, it was not appropriate within DMVA.
4:15:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES asked if the position description in HB
361 was the same as currently in DMVA.
MR. O'HARE agreed. In response to Representative Seaton, he
said that CPR was still the current requirement, but that upon
recertification, the protocol would be for chest pumps.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON expressed his concern for the use of the
term CPR in statute, as it was no longer recommended.
MR. O'HARE offered his belief that the term, CPR, reflected a
current technique. He agreed that should the term be changed,
then the statute would also have to change.
4:17:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON reflected on a need to use the correct
term in statute.
CO-CHAIR KELLER agreed, and shared an anecdote about an
acquaintance who had recently trained with the chest pump
technique although the certification was still for CPR.
4:18:23 PM
SUE STANCLIFF, Special Assistant, Office of the Commissioner,
Department of Public Safety, noted that there were two parts to
the bill: CPR and the departmental transfer of the 911
coordinator. She said that a poll to the statewide agencies had
revealed that the majority required CPR, while many offered even
more extensive training. She reported that DPS left the
determination for CPR with the dispatch commanders, but that HB
361 would now require CPR. She offered her support for CPR and
additional training. Addressing the transfer of the 911
coordinator to DPS, she stated that as DPS did not currently
have this position, it would require hiring a position within
the Alaska State Troopers. She explained the additional duties
for this position. She reflected that a fiscal note would be
forthcoming.
4:23:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked how many communities did not
require CPR.
MS. STANCLIFF replied that no communities were required to have
CPR certification. In response to Representative T. Wilson, she
said that some communities, such as Anchorage and Fairbanks, had
a municipal ordinance for CPR certification.
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked if this was a problem in some
communities and she asked if the coordinator would need to
travel to the bush communities. She questioned whether this
would be a burden to the rural communities.
MS. STANCLIFF said that six police chiefs had responded to a DPS
poll that they were already requiring CPR certification.
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked if Alaska State Troopers and
Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO) were required to have CPR
certification.
MS. STANCLIFF replied that this was part of the training.
4:25:57 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON asked why the 911 coordinator duties could not
be assigned to an existing position.
MS. STANCLIFF replied that DPS would not accept a statutory
position without doing it correctly. She said that the search
and rescue coordination, the emergency response, and the
emergency calls in conjunction with DMVA all required training.
She opined that the 911 coordinator would not be limited to CPR
training. She pointed out that the job description would be
based on the requirements listed in the statute.
4:27:30 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON expressed concern for an additional position to
be created for the 911 coordinator.
MS. STANCLIFF, in response, said that the DPS would not take the
job responsibility lightly.
CO-CHAIR HERRON asked if there was lateral funding from DMVA.
4:29:27 PM
MR. O'HARE explained that, in 2004, this position was an
unfunded mandate which DMVA had since been attempting to move to
another department. He explained that the 911 coordinator
position was in conjunction with the Alaska Land Mobile Radio
system, which had since been moved to Department of
Administration (DOA). He explained that, although the statute
was with DMVA, the coordination was with DOA and the Network
Security Officer. He said that HB 361 would add more
responsibility, which would require the position to be full
time.
4:31:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked for the current coordinator
duties.
MR. O'HARE explained that the 911 coordinator identified the
statewide 911 dispatchers, and researched the technologies to
enhance 911 statewide for approval by the legislature. The new
job description would include coordination of the statewide 911
dispatchers for other required responsibilities.
4:32:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked which communities this would
impact and if this was a positive impact.
4:34:35 PM
RODNEY DIAL, Lieutenant, Alaska State Troopers, in response to
Representative T. Wilson, said that there were very few small
dispatch centers, and that this would not affect any of them.
He reported that it would have more impact on hub facilities in
bush communities, the majority of which were state trooper
facilities. He said that the Alaska State Troopers did require
CPR and it was also taught on a departmental level as time
permitted.
4:35:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked what community this would impact.
LT. DIAL replied that he could not think of a community that
would be negatively impacted. He opined that most communities
were offering emergency medical dispatch training to the
dispatchers. He mentioned that providing CPR instructions over
the phone was different than performing CPR, and he did not know
if there would be a phone certification. He opined that it may
be necessary for a CPR instructor certification, instead.
4:37:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON directed attention to page 2, line 5 which
stated that "a municipality shall require that emergency
dispatchers on the 911 system be trained and currently
certified..." He asked if this applied to DPS.
LT. DIAL said that he had not yet received a response from the
Department of Law (DOL).
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON pointed out that the bill language did not
mention instruction, and he asked Lt. Dial if the language
should be amended to include instruction.
LT. DIAL replied that if dispatchers were only trained in basic
CPR, they may not be qualified to give CPR instruction over the
telephone. He referred to an earlier response by the American
Heart Association.
4:39:35 PM
MS. KOENEMAN, in response to Representative T. Wilson, clarified
that municipalities were not required, but had chosen to train
emergency medical dispatchers. She recognized the concern for
CPR instruction over the phone versus the individual
certification for CPR. She noted that this would be worked out
with the DPS, the dispatchers, and the new 911 coordinator for
the best direction.
4:41:39 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony.
[HB 361 was held over.]
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