“Lights and Sirens” bill signed into law in Washington

On Thursday, May 4, Gov. Inslee signed House Bill 1271 into law. This legislation will allow organ transport vehicles with specially-trained drivers to use red lights and sirens like other emergency vehicles when transporting a time-sensitive, life-saving organ, so it can get to the waiting patient who needs it quickly and safely before the clock runs out.

“Organ and tissue donation is a rare, remarkable and complex process, requiring precision at every step while time is of the essence,” shared Santokh Gill, LifeCenter Northwest CEO. “Every second counts towards the health of the organ during transport and we know transplant patients are waiting on the other end. We are grateful for this valuable legislation, which provides our transportation partners the tools they need to ensure life-saving organs are never delayed due to traffic.”

“NORA, the Nationwide Organ Recovery Transport Alliance, is pleased that this legislation has passed as it will allow us to move lifesaving organs in the fastest, safest and most efficient manner possible,” said Jeff Schneider, director of NORA’s Washington state region. “We know how critical time is when transporting human organs, and this legislation will save lives. We value our partnership with LifeCenter Northwest and look forward to continuing to work together in the mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation.”

“I cannot imagine how devastating it would be if one of my loved ones did not receive the life-saving organ they needed because traffic was bad in Seattle,” said Washington state Rep. Sam Low. “This legislation will help ensure traffic jams are not the reason a life-saving organ becomes unviable.”