14
February
2019
|
23:00 PM
America/Los_Angeles

Metrolink Installs Life-Saving AEDs on All Trains

Summary
Today, Metrolink announced that it has installed Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) on all trains operating in the agency’s six-county service region and is providing hands-on and online resources to instruct employees, riders and the public in the use of the life-saving technology.

Agency conducts hands-on training and provides online resources

LOS ANGELES – Today, Metrolink announced that it has installed Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) on all trains operating in the agency’s six-county service region and is providing hands-on and online resources to instruct employees, riders and the public in the use of the life-saving technology. An AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses certain life-threatening cardiac conditions and treats them through the application of electricity. To disseminate training resources, Metrolink posted a Red Cross AED instructional video to its web site. To view click here.

Working on a parallel path in Sacramento, in 2018 the California Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 502, which required installation of AEDs on commuter rail systems in California by July 1, 2020.

“The quick use of an AED can save a person’s life in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest and having them on trains maintains safety for all rail passengers,” said SB 502’s author, State Senator Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge). “I commend the Metrolink Board of Directors for starting the process to install AEDs even before SB 502 became law.”

In April 2018, the Metrolink Board of Directors authorized the expenditure of $207,600 for the purchase and installation of the 57 AEDs.

“At Metrolink safety is foundational and the installation of AEDs nearly 18 months before the state deadline fulfills our commitment to keeping our system as safe as possible,” said Metrolink Board Chair Brian Humphrey.

According to the American Heart Association, each year in the United States, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital setting and administering a shock from an AED within the first minute can save 9 in 10 victims.

“Time is critical for a person having a cardiac arrest and, at their fastest, paramedics can take 8 to12 minutes to reach a person in crisis,” said Dr. Ray Matthews, board member of the American Heart Association (AHA) Los Angeles Division and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Keck Medicine of USC. “AEDs are designed to be used by persons with little or no training and have audible step-by-step directions. The quick use of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and an AED can make the difference in saving a person’s life.”

February is American Heart Month and AHA encourages people to be trained in CPR and use of AEDs. AHA training resources can be found at heart.org/handsonlycpr.

“We want to ensure the safety of our riders and our team members and that is why we have partnered with the powerful training resources of the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross,” said Metrolink CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “AEDs can be found on our trains, in the workplace, in restaurants and many places. Knowing how to correctly use an AED can turn anyone into a life-saving hero.”.

For more information about Metrolink, please visitwww.metrolinktrains.com.

ABOUT METROLINK (www.metrolinktrains.com)

Metrolink is Southern California's regional commuter rail service in its 26th year of operation. Metrolink is governed by The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), a joint powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Metrolink operates seven routes through a six-county, 538 route-mile network. Metrolink’s passengers travel approximately 441 million miles each year, making Metrolink the second busiest public transportation provider in Southern California. Metrolink is the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on directional route miles and the eighth largest based on annual ridership.

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