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.]