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The Save A Life Foundation (SALF), member of U.S. Homeland Security and

Affiliate of FEMA/Citizen Corps, honored Illinois House of Representative, Lou Lang with the "Bridge of Life" Award on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 at his district office in Skokie.

The award signifies the Save A Life Foundation's 10th Anniversary of life-saving success and honors those individuals, who have contributed to the preliminary development of the foundation as well as those who have made it possible to train over 700,000 Illinois public school children at no cost in basic life-supporting first aid skills (LSFA), including CPR and Heimlich Maneuver.

Carol Spizzirri founded the SALF in 1993 shortly after her daughter, Christina was involved in a hit and run car accident and died as a result of first responders not being trained in LSFA; simple pressure to her wounds could have positively influenced her life's existence. 

To prevent this needless tragedy from re-occurring, Spizzirri embarked on a mission and advocated that all first responders receive first aid training prior to graduating from their academies and that all bystanders, including children be trained in skills that would enable them to assist as volunteers in times of emergencies.

Representative Lang with the support of Illinois Director of the Department of Agriculture, Chuck Hartke took an active interest in Spizzirri's life-saving crusade and in 1994 co-sponsored the passing of House Bill 3909 mandating that all police officers, sheriffs and deputies, fire fighters, and auxiliary policeman be trained in first aid, including CPR and Heimlich Maneuver prior to graduating from their academies. 

Ms. Spizzirri honored Representative Lang with the "Bridge of Life" Award not only for his active participation in passing legislation that requires first responders to be prepared to aid in times of emergencies but also for supporting state funding and influencing House Resolution 305 that was unanimously passed in the House of Representatives, recognizing the SALF's accomplishments and efforts towards increasing the chances of survival for all American Citizens.

Other "Bridge of Life" Award recipients who have already accepted included: