CPR Saves Lives. That’s Why Every Student Should Know It

If someone collapsed right in front of you, what would you do?

Over the past year, I have had the privilege of serving as an ambassador for the Harvard University Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and for Lexington High School. During the summer, I also volunteered at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Although I am only a high school student, I have been reminded time and again that in cardiac emergencies, the different between life and death often depends on just a few golden minutes of rescue time.

Sudden cardiac arrest is an unpredictable emergency. Every year in the United States, there are more than 35,000 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), yet the overall survival rate is only about 10%. This means that out of 10 people who collapse, perhaps only one will survive. Unfortunately, in emergency situations, many bystanders are left unsure of what to do due to a lack of CPR knowledge—missing the best window for saving a life.

Research shows that if effective CPR is administered within 4 to 6 minutes of a cardiac arrest, survival rates can double or even triple. When CPR is combined with the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), survival rates can increase by an additional 50% to 70%. For children, timely intervention not only saves lives but also greatly increases the chance of preserving full neurological function. Every minute of delay in CPR decreases the chance of survival by 7% to 10%.

Yet the reality in the U.S. is sobering—bystander CPR rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are only 32%, far lower than Denmark’s 90%. This is a number we have the ability to change, and it is why I am calling for improving relevant laws.

Why Should CPR Be Taught in High Schools? High school students are often the first witnesses to cardiac arrest. Most of these emergencies occur in homes, schools, or other non-hospital settings, and our generation is likely to encounter such situations—on campus, at sports events, during community activities, or even at home. Learning CPR is not just about acquiring a skill; it is about being ready, at any time, to protect a life.

High school is a formative period for building values, responsibility, and the willingness to act. We learn quickly, adapt easily, and are often eager to share new skills with our families and communities, inspiring more people to join in lifesaving efforts. CPR training can add an important layer of safety in schools and empower students to step up in public places — shopping malls, parks, sporting events — when every second counts. For those aspiring to careers in medicine, education, or public safety, it can also be the first step on their professional path.

Therefore, CPR training for high school students is not merely a practical skills course — it is a lesson in life awareness and responsibility for an entire generation. Unfortunately, there is still a large gap between this ideal and the reality.

The Legislative Gap: CPR Education Still Missing in Massachusetts

In December 2023, the U.S. President signed the HEARTS Act (Honoring Emergency Response Training for Students Act), encouraging states to implement CPR training in high schools. The law’s central aim is clear: ensure that every high school student receives systematic CPR training before graduation, provide teachers and community members with lifesaving skills, expand AED access in schools and sports venues, and work with emergency and medical organizations to ensure training is scientific, professional, and sustainable.

To date, about 40 states — plus the District of Columbia — have passed laws requiring CPR (and, in some states, AED) training before high school graduation. Unfortunately, Massachusetts is not among them. According to the Boston City Council, it is one of the few states without such a requirement. Although bills such as H.4107 are currently under review, none have yet been enacted. As a result, many high schools still lack comprehensive emergency response education. This means that when someone collapses, thousands of students could be left unable to help, losing precious opportunities to save lives.

How to Bring CPR into Every High School

To make CPR training a lasting part of high school education, it should first be included as a graduation requirement — just like physical education or health classes — through partnerships with EMS teams, the Red Cross, and fire departments to ensure the training is both scientific and professional. Beyond classroom instruction, schools can hold “Campus CPR Challenge” drills, allowing students to practice in simulated emergencies so they can react quickly when real situations occur.

Equipment matters as well. AED devices should be installed in key locations throughout campus, and students must be taught how to use them so they are more than just wall-mounted decorations. In addition, schools could form student emergency volunteer teams composed of trained and motivated students who serve as safety monitors during school events and are ready to act when needed.

My Call to Action

As a high school student and EMS ambassador, I call on Massachusetts lawmakers, educators, and community members to make CPR and AED training a graduation requirement for all high school students in the state. I’ve already written to state lawmakers, including State Sen. Cindy F. Friedman of the 4th Middlesex District, and have gotten an encouraging response. This is not just about teaching a skill—it is about protecting life.

Perhaps none of us ever wants to use these skills. But when the unexpected happens, knowing how to respond can mean someone keeps breathing, and a family is spared the heartbreak of losing a loved one.

Let us work together to ensure that more young people become “guardians of life” in critical moments, turning those precious four minutes into a lifetime.

Mingjun Zhan is a student at Lexington High School.