All police officers in Illinois are required to complete a 20- or 40-hour training course before being certified as a first responder. This course involves CPR training and both a written test and hands-on exercises that can be completed under supervision in a classroom. All basic trauma classes include training in how to assess life-threatening situations, basic circulatory and airway treatment, and administration of first aid. Officers who complete their first responder training must take an additional four-hour course every year to recertify their state CPR and first responder training.
Basic life support and CPR training courses teach first responder candidates how to assess life-threatening injuries and other emergency situations accurately and quickly. Illinois requires that first responder candidates complete this training and recertify annually. This training requires students to attend classroom sessions where they learn and practice emergency techniques on dummies. Candidates must pass written and practical exams to meet the training requirements.
The federal government requires that first responder candidates meet all federal requirements as well as any additional Illinois state requirements for certification. Federal requirements for first responders are determined and updated as needed by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Illinois incorporates many of the federal requirements into its own requirements, though the state can impose additional requirements necessary for diploma certification. The DOT oversees and approves each state's certification procedures.
The DOT requires that each first responder certification program contain seven basic federally recognized training categories. They are preparatory, patient assessment, circulation, airway, illness and injury, children and childbirth, and emergency medical system operation. The training required in each category includes written and practical exercises. Each first responder candidate in Illinois must pass both sections of the training to receive his diploma or certification in the state. The DOT may update training in these categories as necessary.