SECTION 1.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of education shall, in consultation with the department of public health, develop a Medical Emergency Response Plan initiative in order to promote best practices and encourage schools to develop programs that reduce the incidence of life-threatening emergency and promote efficient responses to such emergencies.  The initiative shall include, but not be limited to, the following core elements:

A plan for the establishment of a rapid communications system linking schools and school campuses to load Emergency Medical Services systems and the development of protocols for interaction with those systems.

Development of a model response plan for medical emergencies that coordinate activities of school nurses, school athletic team trainers and physicians, and other relevant personnel, including trained volunteers.

The development of safety precautions in order to prevent injuries in classrooms, on the playground, and in athletic and other extra-curricular activities.

Access to training in CPR and first aid for teachers, athletic trainers and other school staff and volunteers.

Incentives for the purchase of automatic external defibrillators by school district and standards for the implementation of a school-based automatic defibrillator program that utilizes trained school staff and volunteers and that is coordinated, to the maximum extent possible, with existing public access defibrillation programs established pursuant to section 12V1/2 of chapter 112 of the General Laws.

The department shall report to the General Court on the success of this initiative in establishing Medical Emergency Response Plans in local school districts no later than December 31, 2009.