- Published: Friday, November 21, 2014 11:33 AM
SPRINGFIELD, IL –The Illinois Poison Center this week presented State Senator William Haine with the IPC Lifesaver Award in recognition of the Senator’s continued commitment to protecting Illinois residents’ health and safety.
The honor was given to state senators and representatives who demonstrated their dedication to the IPC by supporting a dedicated funding source for the state’s only poison center.
“Each year, the IPC takes more than 82,000 calls from Illinois residents with almost half of the cases involving small children,” said IPC representative Arthur Kubic, who presented Senator Haine with the Lifesaver Award on behalf of the organization. “Senator Haine’s support allows the IPC to continue to provide critical information in emergency situations for families and health care providers around the state. We extend our deepest gratitude to Senator Haine and the ILGA for their efforts to save the IPC.”
Started in 1953, the IPC is the nation’s oldest poison center. The staff has played a critical role in protecting public safety, including working with the Illinois Attorney General’s office to combat the synthetic drug epidemic and serving as the call center during the recent Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak.