17 Jun 2021

Transport for Wales is set to install up to 200 life-saving defibrillators at its railway stations across the Wales and Borders network.

The scheme will see defibrillators fitted at more than 80% of TfW stations over the next 18 months, which will be accessible to the public 24 hours a day.

Defibrillators are a portable device that can give a casualty’s heart an electric shock when it has stopped beating, normally in a sudden cardiac arrest. Using a defibrillator within three minutes of a cardiac arrest can improve a person's chance of survival by as much as 70%.

Their importance has been highlighted following the use of a defibrillator during the Denmark versus Finland match at the European Championships, when Danish player Christian Eriksen collapsed with a suspected cardiac arrest.

Karl Gilmore, Transport for Wales Rail Infrastructure Director, commented: “We have long recognised how important defibrillators can be as a life-saving tool, so we’re delighted to now be in a position to install these devices across the Wales and Borders network.

“The safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority and as part of work with the provider Aero Healthcare, our staff will be offered training on how to use the defibrillators.

“We want to make the Wales and Borders network the safest in the UK and an important part of this is having the right facilities at our stations to help people in the case of an emergency.

“We are also working with various healthcare colleagues and charities, who are helping us plan how we can provide training on this life-saving equipment, deep into our communities.”

The defibrillators will also be registered with The Circuit, the national defibrillator network and the ambulance service.