In the Greater Manchester area, defibrillators have been introduced at 84 Northern stations to aid those in cardiac arrest.

By the end of the year, every station run by Northern in the area will have a defibrillator available for the community to use.

Each of the life-saving pieces of equipment is installed with a step-by-step spoken guide to explain to the user how to use the defibrillator correctly on a person in cardiac arrest. The defibrillators analyse heart rhythms and decide whether an electric shock is required, which the user will be informed of.

Voluntary familiarisation training will be made available by Northwest Ambulance Service (NWAS) to station staff and local communities.

On Wednesday 13th July, an event was held at Wilmslow station to celebrate the work completed by those involved in the scheme.

During the event, a demonstration was given to show those present how to use the defibrillator and its location.

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern said: “It was great to see how easy it is to use the defibrillator and I would like to thank everyone involved in this project.

“All our defibrillators are in public places, and they are of huge benefit, not only to those travelling with us, but also the communities we serve. Our aim is to make a positive impact for the North, and we will continue to work hard to introduce defibrillators at even more of our stations in the future.”

Simon Elliott, head of rail programme at TfGM, said: “I’m really pleased at the amount of lifesaving defibrillator’s that we have available at rail stations across Greater Manchester. Today’s event highlights the great work that’s been done, and I am grateful to all partners for their hard work getting us to this point.

“Every second counts with cardiac arrest, so having defibrillators within easy access across our transport network for passengers, and for the local community, can have a huge impact on people’s lives.”

Alan Bedford, head of engineering & compliance services for ISS confirmed, “how it had been a privilege to be part of this initiative from the initial planning stages through to actually seeing the units installed and the benefits these units can bring to everyone and the potential to save lives across all our local communities.”

David McNally, community engagement, resuscitation & collaboration manager at NWAS NHS Trust said: “Defibrillators play a vital part in the chain of survival and are integral in helping to save someone’s life if they suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

“Every minute counts when someone’s heart stops and if basic life support and an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available in the first 4 minutes then there is an 80 per cent chance of survival. By Northern placing these accessible defibrillators on stations across the Greater Manchester area, it not only serves the users of the station but also the surrounding community.”