Bipartisan initiative aims to train Granite Staters in lifesaving Hands-Only CPR across all five Council districts.
CONCORD, NH — Executive Councilor John Stephen on Tuesday announced the NH CPR Challenge, a bipartisan initiative of the New Hampshire Executive Council to offer free Hands-Only CPR training across all five Executive Council districts during EMS Week, May 17–23, 2026.
The effort is personal for Stephen, who said he suffered a cardiac emergency in November and was saved by two bystanders who performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
“I am alive today because two people knew CPR,” Stephen said. “When my heart stopped on the side of the road last November, Abby and Mark didn’t hesitate — they started chest compressions and kept me alive until help arrived. That experience changed my life, and it’s why I brought this challenge to the full Council.”
The initiative will provide free 15-minute Hands-Only CPR awareness sessions at fire stations, community centers, businesses and other locations statewide. No prior experience is required. Participants will receive a certificate of participation.
Residents can find a training or sign up to host a session at cprchallengenh.com.
All five Executive Council members endorsed the effort.
“Our first responders can’t be everywhere at once — but a neighbor trained in CPR can be the bridge that saves a life,” Councilor Joseph Kenney, R-District 1, said.
“This is exactly the kind of initiative that brings people together regardless of party — protecting our families and neighbors,” Councilor Karen Liot Hill, D-District 2, said.
“Every minute without CPR reduces the chance of survival — the more Granite Staters who are prepared, the more lives we save,” Councilor Janet Stevens, R-District 3, said.
“From Nashua to Milford to Swanzey, I want every community in southern New Hampshire to have access to this free, lifesaving training,” Councilor Dave Wheeler, R-District 5, said.
Cardiac arrest affects more than 350,000 people in the United States each year. Bystander CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival, yet fewer than half of cardiac arrest victims receive it before emergency responders arrive.
Organizations interested in hosting a session during EMS Week can register at cprchallengenh.com/host.