Tarr Bill Aims to Expand CPR Training for High School Students
June 6, 2025June 6, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jessica Margiotta, Director of Communications, Office of Senator Tarr | Cell: 978-675-6109 | jessica.margiotta@masenate.gov
Tarr Bill Aims to Expand CPR Training for High School Students
Boston (06/05/24) – This week Massachusetts honors National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) Awareness Week, and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) is advancing legislation to expand life-saving emergency medical training for Massachusetts high school students’ health education curriculum. Inspired by the story and efforts of Madeleine Elizabeth Jackman, a courageous young Newburyport constituent, An Act requiring instruction in CPR and the use of defibrillators for high school graduation (S.456), would most notably make CPR certification a high school graduation requirement.
“CPR is a basic skill that can come into play at any moment to save a life, and we should not miss an opportunity to equip graduating students with that skill,” said Tarr. “A modest investment of time for training can translate literally into a life saved.”
The bi-partisan legislation, which has already garnered support from Senators John Keenan (D-Quincy) and Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth), and Representatives Dawne Shand (D-Newburyport) and Shirley Arriaga (D-Hampden), would also ensure that instruction in these practices adhere to the most current national guidelines, and incorporate hands-on training into students’ education.
Key elements of the bill include:
Requiring certification in CPR to graduate high school
Expanding CPR high school health education curriculum to include the use of an AED
Ensuring standards in CPR and AED curriculum be kept current to reflect national guidelines
With a half-million cardiac arrests each year, CPR can help save a life if a person’s breathing or heart stops, and not just when performed by healthcare workers and emergency responders. When bystanders take action, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival. Holly Grant, CEO of the Red Cross of Massachusetts, said the Red Cross encourages everyone to “learn the skills that can save a life.”
“Sudden cardiac arrest can happen without warning to anyone, anywhere, and every second counts,” Grant continued. “For each minute defibrillation is delayed, the person’s chance for survival is reduced 7-10%.”
When Jackman, a Newburyport High School student, was eight years-old, she choked on a piece of steak while eating at a restaurant with her family. No one in her family knew CPR or the Heimlich maneuver, but fortunately a bystander, who happened to be a nurse, administered CPR and saved her life.
Inspired by her experience, Jackman has become a passionate advocate for increased CPR and emergency education training. She founded the Red Cross Club in her high school, and, with the help of donations from local businesses, the club’s Heart Starters program has provided free CPR training to restaurants across the community, giving staff the tools needed to save someone in the same circumstances Jackman found herself in as a child
“After almost losing my life in a choking incident, I realized how critical a skill CPR is and I am forever grateful to the nurse in the restaurant who performed it on me and saved my life,” said Jackman, who filed the bill with Tarr. “CPR is a straightforward, yet immeasurably impactful skill that can be taught in less than two hours, and as a state that prides itself on providing the best access to healthcare in the world, it is astonishing that we don’t provide this life-saving skill to all of our high school students, a skill that only six other states haven’t yet made a high school graduation requirement.”
Tarr called Jackman “an extraordinary young leader who is turning her life experience into meaningful action to train more people to prevent tragedy when a cardiac event occurs and every minute counts for an effective response.”
A growing number of states have begun implementing CPR graduation requirements, yet Massachusetts is currently one of just seven states that do not mandate CPR training for high school graduation.
According to Harvard Medical School, although 65% of people in the United States say they have received CPR training at some point, only about 18% are up to date on the most recent training. Moreover, of more than 350,000 EMS responses to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year, over 40% involve a bystander administering CPR, potentially delivering life-saving support before professional help arrives.
“Knowing how to administer CPR and use a defibrillator—these are critical skills. Communities that prioritize teaching these life saving techniques also see higher rates of survival for heart attacks,” said Shand. “I am thrilled to partner with Senator Tarr to pass this important legislation.”
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Additional Resources:
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S456
https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr
https://www.newburyportnews.com/news/local_news/saving-a-life-newburyport-highs-red-cross-club-teaches-cpr-to-restaurant-employees/article_322049fa-e88f-11ef-80d3-0779fe90c5ab.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/newburyport-students-free-cpr-training-restaurants/
https://www.insideedition.com/media/videos/16-year-old-teaches-cpr-to-restaurants-after-having-traumatic-choking-incident-90562
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/why-dont-more-people-know-cpr
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Thank you,
Jessica
Jessica Margiotta
Director of Communications
Office of the Senate Minority Leader | State Senator Bruce E. Tarr
Massachusetts State House, Room 308 | Boston, MA 02133
Office: 617-722-1600, ext. 1603| Cell: 978-675-6109
Email: jessica.margiotta@masenate.gov
