CHICAGO: The City of Chicago leads the nation in Bystander-CPR (B-CPR) with a 14.6% increase in B-CPR between 2021 and 2023 according to a report  released by Illinois Heart Rescue (ILHR). As leaders in telecommunicator- assisted CPR (T-CPR) emergency calls, OEMC’s 9-1-1 Fire Call Takers played a central role in driving this increase of bystander CPR performed in Chicago.

The Illinois Heart Rescue report highlights survival rates, OEMC telecommunicator-assisted CPR (T-CPR) rates, bystander CPR (B-CPR) rates, and trending data received from EMS 9-1-1 calls. The report can be found HERE.

“CPR is a critical first step to ensuring the survival of cardiac arrest before first responders arrive and our Fire Call Takers have been honored locally and nationally for providing lifesaving CPR instructions during 9-1-1 calls,” said Frank Velez, OEMC Acting Executive Director. “Illinois Heart Rescue is a leader in educating residents on the importance of CPR and the success we’ve had is due in large part to their efforts to save lives.”

Survivor Joanne Walton and OEMC FCOI Stefanie Velez

Joanne Walton and her family were preparing for a gathering at her home to celebrate Mother’s Day in 2024. During the morning preparations, Joanne collapsed in her kitchen, suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest. Her family quickly responded and called 911 for help. Stefanie Velez, a telecommunicator for Chicago’s OEMC, answered the call. Recognizing the urgency through her training, Stefanie began CPR instructions over the phone within 90 seconds, until the Chicago Fire Department arrived. Thanks to the courageous actions of Joanne’s children and co-survivors, as well as the ongoing efforts of Chicago’s OEMC Fire call takers like Stephanie, Joanne is with us today.

Illinois Heart Rescue (ILHR) is a non-profit whose primary mission is to increase neurologically intact survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) victims within the State of Illinois.

“ILHR is extremely grateful for our partnership with OEMC and the Chicago Fire Department,” said Courtney Schwerin O’Reilly, Executive Director of Illinois Heart Rescue. “The improvements that the city has made across the entire OHCA chain of survival are exceptional. OEMC’s fire operations desk has much to be proud of for their role in Chicago leading the nation in gender and racial equity for B-CPR.”

OEMC T-CPR Report Highlights

Focusing resources and efforts on OEMC has significantly increased BCPR rates for victims suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and resulted in both gender and racial parity in Chicago. Key findings in the report include:

• Bystander CPR in Chicago has improved 14.6% since 2021.
• Neighborhoods that have improved the most include McKinley Park, Gage Park and North Lawndale.
• 43% increase for CPR instructions started over the phone since 2021
• In 2024 the median time from dialing 911 to having hands on the chest doing CPR (from call taker instructions) was 1 minute and 56 seconds in Chicago. Nationally, the median time is 2 minutes and 55 seconds. 
• Nationally, women and minorities receive less bystander CPR than their counterparts. In 2023, Chicago celebrated a historic milestone by achieving gender and racial parity in bystander CPR rates. This success would not have been possible without OEMC’s fire telecommunicators.
• “Hands-Only CPR, a simple and effective CPR technique to save a life with only chest compressions without the need for mouth-to-mouth breathing.

Bystander-CPR is a vital link in the chain of survival of out of hospital cardiac arrest and educating residents how to recognize and react is key. In the moments after a person suffers a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), bystanders play the most critical role in determining the survival of the victims. Studies show that for every minute of delay before starting CPR, survival decreases 10%, so as the minutes tick by, the chances of a victim dying or suffering permanent brain damage increase.

Beginning in 2020, Illinois focused efforts on the first link in the chain of survival, partnering with emergency 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to increase telecommunicators’ recognition of cardiac arrest victims, deliver timely instructions, and increase bystander CPR rates for all Chicagoans.

In 2021, baseline metrics were captured by partnering with Region 11 EMS and OEMC. Metrics included the dispatcher recognizing the need for CPR, times captured for call receipt to recognition, call receipt to instruction, and call receipt to first compression.

A combination of T-CPR training and new protocols contributed to a 14.7% increase in recognition, time intervals that exceeded the AHA performance measures, a 19.3% increase in overall survival, and a 12.2% increase in BCPR for all genders and races in Chicago from 2021 to 2023.

For information on the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), we encourage residents to download the Chicago OEMC app, visit the OEMC website at Chicago.gov/OEMC. Sign-up to receive Notify Chicago alerts Follow the Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Facebook(@coemc), Twitter (@ChicagoOEMC), Instagram (chicago_oemc_911), Bluesky (@chicagooemc.bsky.social) and Threads (@chicago_oemc_911).