8/9/2019 False claims made by Rita Mullins about my daughter Christina & my ex-wife Carol Spizzirri

1/3

Save A Life FoundationBy RITA MULLINS, Mayor of Palatine, and IRV BOCK,

Mayor of Hanover Park

As mayors and village presidents, we have the obligation toensure the health, safety and well-being of our residents - including our young people. That is why we have become involved inan organization we feel helps fulfill that obligation.

The Save A Life Foundation (SALF) came into existence

through the efforts of Carol Spizzirri, founder, mother and nursewho, on Labor Day 1992, lost her child, Christina, to a fatal hit-and-run car accident. Christinas life might have been saved hadthe first persons who arrived on the scene given prompt first aiduntil the professionals arrived. Since that time, Carol has channeled her grief by establishing the Save A Life Foundation, devoting herself and requesting others to get involved in the process ofeducating people in these most basic skills. SALF is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and education oflife supporting first aid.

Through Carols efforts, the Foundation was able to have alaw passed in Illinois mandating first aid and CPR training for allnew police and firefighters. With the assistance of SenatorRichard Durbin (D-IL), a federal appropriation was sponsored and

passed by President Clinton, providing funds for First Aid andCPR training for all police and emergency personnel nationwide.

SALF has grown to include a team of dedicated volunteerswho promote its life-saving mission. Also, the Foundation is veryfortunate to have an internationally-recognized panel of expertsserving on its Medical Advisory Board, such as Dr. HenryHeimlich, father of the Heimlich maneuver and head of theHeimlich Institute, Dr. Peter Safar, developer of CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the head of the SafarResearch Center in Pittsburgh, and Dr. Stanley Zydlo, father ofEmergency Medical Services (EMS) and SALFs MedicalDirector.

Life is full of surprises. Some of them are pleasant and others are not. When we suddenly find ourselves face to face with a

crisis, it is important to know what to do - either fix the problem,or keep it from getting worse. In our society, it seems all too oftenpeople turn away when they see someone in trouble, or someonesuddenly becoming ill or injured. Many ofus are simply afraid tohelp because of fear being sued, contracting a disease or makingthe situation worse because of a lack of knowledge.

The intent ofthe Save A Life Foundation program is to deliver the most important lifesaving information in a simple, conciseformat designed to fit into our busy lives. The program will teachthose taking the course just what they need to know.

SALF has focused on the need of creating a critical mass oftrained children in Life Supporting First Aid skills. Working withEMS/Fire Departments and schools, SALF has trained more than125,000 children in the Chicago school district and became part of

Governor George Ryans budget - appropriating funds to teach allschool children throughout the state of Illinois in first aid andCPR.

SALF has experienced tremendous growth in the last twoyears. From teaching a simple basic first aid program to children,SALFs curriculum now consists of four comprehensive trainingprograms geared to people of all ages. The program consists ofSave A Life for Kids, Bystander Basics, Bystander Advanced(OSHA, Daycare Providers) and Bystander Basics AutomaticExternal Defibrillation

Our audience has grown from school children to businesses ofall sizes. SALF has trained employees from companies such asLead Core and U.S. Steel and has been brought in to teach the

Chicago Police Department. SALF will also be working with theFederal Aviation Administration in training employees and developing standards for the aviation industry.

SALFs training programs are as follows:Save A Life for Kids is a one-hour program that teaches ele

mentary school children from kindergarten through eight gradeChildren learn skills such as scene safety, contacting EmergencyMedical Services, bleed control, opening an airway, early heartattack care, Heimlich maneuver and rescue breathing.

Bystander Basic is a two-hour program geared for young

adults age 13 and older, which teaches all the above as well asCPR.

Bystander Basics Advanced is a three-hour program thameets OSHA standards, expands upon these skills by also teaching C-Spine control, shock management, critical burn management, initial wound care, and how to recognize various emergencies and prioritize multiple casualty situations.

Bystander Basic A.E.D. is a one-hour program intended foradults 18 and over that includes training in sudden death, the function of the heart and circulatory system and how and when to usean automatic external defibrillator.

The Save A Life Foundation has several current programsThese are:

1. Life Saving Skills for School Bus Drivers and Schoo

Administrators. Through a joint effort with the Illinois StateBoard of Education and the Secretary ofState, SALF has proceeded with the plans for a program to train the 23,000 Illinois schoolbus drivers with basic hands-on life supporting first aid, includingCPR.

2. Blue Angels Program. A partnership with the IllinoisCriminal Justice Information Authority, Chicago PoliceDepartment, Office of the Superintendent of the Chicago Policeand the Police Academy to train police officers with EMS credentials to become in-house instructors for fellow officers in theirpolice departments. These officers will also outreach their communities by providing training in life saving skills to local schools

3. Creation of Branch Offices. With an eye on the futureSALF negotiated a partnership and established a regional training

site at Saint Johns Hospital in Springfield. This was the first stepin marketing our educational training into communities inadequately served by emergency medical services. Recently, at theNational Conference of State Legislatures in Chicago, severastates, most notably Connecticut, Texas and North Carolinaapproached SALF about establishing branch offices in their states

What started as a tragedy for one woman has become ahealthy, thriving and important organization making a differenceand facing the challenge of making our society a better place forall.

Most often, the people that you will be called upon to help arethose we spend the most time with, our family, neighbors, andfriends. This program will prepare your residents to recognizeemergencies and teach them the right way to deal with emergen

cies.As mayors, we have an opportunity to assist in getting the

word out to all our residents about the importance of these programs. The Save A Life Foundation will train the trainers for youMen and women in your Police, Fire and Public Works departments start the core groups which consist of school childrensocial service clubs, church groups, etc.

Lets work together to support the philosophy of the Save ALife Foundation.

For further information, please contact Carol Spizzirri of theSave A Life Foundation at 847-928-9683 or fax inquiries to 847928-9684.

8/9/2019 False claims made by Rita Mullins about my daughter Christina & my ex-wife Carol Spizzirri

2/3

TLLTNOIS

MUJNICIFALFEBRUARY 2001 TWffMAGAZINE OF THE MlfiitCtFAL(TlES

Addbon Village HallDedicated August 24HH)

Seen- IIH Faft Jl

8/9/2019 False claims made by Rita Mullins about my daughter Christina & my ex-wife Carol Spizzirri

3/3

THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPALreview MAGAZINEFEBRUARY 2001

In This Issue

From The Editor's DeskLegislation Proposed To Strengthen Inspector General's Office2001 IML Legislative AgendaCommunity Dialogue Creates Support for $17 Million Municipal Facility Construction Project in AddisonMunicipal Power To Regulate Fire PreventionIllinois, The International Codes And The 21st CenturyBrownfield Redevelopment ApproachesIllinois Department of Insurance Announces Electronic Filing UpgradeMotor Fuel Tax FundsLegal Q&A - Regulating Adult UsesSave A Life FoundationSmart Growth/Balanced Growth Workshop Scheduled