Rock Island Today

Illinois Sen. Neil Anderson recently spoke in support of new legislation that would classify emergency medical dispatchers as first responders.

Senate Bill 3127 advanced through both the Senate and the House unanimously with bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House, the Illinois General Assembly reported. The bill would amend several state laws involving emergency medical dispatchers and would categorize them as first responders.

Anderson voiced his approval for the bill during a recent news conference.

"As most of you have probably seen on social media and through the news, this week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week," Anderson said. "This is the week that we highlight every year where the men and women behind the scenes who are literally the first ones that pick up the phone when someone is in need of help. This is the week I find it very appropriate to share some good news that came out of Springfield. For several years now I've worked on a piece of legislation that would classify emergency dispatchers as first responders."

SB 3127 was sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Neil Anderson, Darren Bailey, Robert Martwick, Patrick Joyce, Win Stoller, Sue Rezin, Terri Bryant, Brian Stewart and Dale Fowler, the assembly reported. In the House, it was sponsored by Reps. Dan Swanson, Tony McCombie, Lance Yednock, Jackie Haas, Tim Ozinga, Norine Hammond, Jonathan Carroll, Amy Elik, Charlie Meier and Avery Bourne.

"The idea came to me initially from a constituent of mine," Anderson said. "As a professional fireman in the city of Moline, I also know the utmost importance that our dispatchers have to not only us as firemen and law enforcement, but also to our community. Dispatchers are there to answer the initial call, and probably 99% of the time, on the worst day of someone's life. These men and women are oftentimes dealing with critical situations and they are our eyes and ears — for police, fire, and EMS behind the scenes before we get to the scene. They not only work to protect us and keep us safe but also the citizens of our communities. Last Friday, April 8, Senate Bill 3127 passed both the Senate and the House, and pending the governor's signature, this bill would amend various laws to include emergency medical dispatchers as first responders."

The bill now awaits the governor's signature.