Opto Circuits’ group company providing automated external defibrillators (AED) and diagnostic cardiac monitoring devices, Cardiac Science Corporation, will supply Powerheart G3 AEDs to all Chicago-area Metra commuter trains and other Metra facilities by the end of January.
Under terms of the agreement, Cardiac Science will deploy 440 AEDs in Metra passenger cars, work facilities, and police vehicles; Cardiac Science also donated 30 AEDs to Metra. The deployment was made possible with a grant from the Regional Transportation Authority, sponsorship of Northwestern Medicine, and support of Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn.
Metra recorded nearly 82.7 million passenger trips in 2011, and is now the second transit system in the US to deploy AEDs on all of its trains.
“We are honoured that Metra chose Cardiac Science to be the AED provider in its public access defibrillator (PAD) programme,” said Neal Long, Cardiac Science President and CEO. “Allowing passengers, workers, and emergency personnel with easy access to defibrillators will combat sudden cardiac arrest and save lives.
At a press conference at a downtown Chicago Metra station on December 27, Governor Quinn further underscored the importance of AEDs. “Having AEDs readily available on Metra cars will save lives,” Governor Quinn said. “By being prepared, we can be ready to respond swiftly and safely in the unfortunate event of a medical emergency. By working together, we can get these critical devices in public spaces everywhere.”
Governor Quinn signed the Good Samaritan Act into law in 2011 to provide Good Samaritan coverage for anyone who has successfully completed American Heart Association or American Red Cross AED training. It protects trained AED users from liability as long as they act in good faith.
“Some of the transport hubs in India that have deployed the Powerheart G3 AEDs are Bangalore and New Delhi Metro Stations, Bengaluru International Airport and Cochin International Airport”, said Vinod Ramnani, CMD, Opto Circuits (India). “We hope to make various other transport hubs Heart-safe”.
EH News Bureau