Transport for Wales has teamed up with the Welsh Ambulance Service in order to support their annual ‘Defibruary' campaign and also Save a Life Cymru and will see two pop-up events held in Cardiff and Wrexham this half term. The events will see free defibrillator and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.
The event at Cardiff Central Station will take place on Wednesday the 22nd of February from 10am to 2pm.
The event at Wrexham General Station will take place on Thursday the 23rd of February from 10am to 2pm
Wrexham's Transport for Wales staff are also meeting with a local scout group whose hall is opposite the station and will see CPR and defibrillator awareness training take place.
Karl Gilmore, TfW Rail Infrastructure Director, said: “We're delighted to be working with the Welsh Ambulance Service and Save a Life Cymru to provide free defib and CPR training and to answer any questions people may have about defibrillators. We will also be there to support those who have experienced or witnessed a cardiac arrest.
“Just recently the train crew on one of our services used a defibrillator from a station to provide assistance to a passenger who had suffered a suspected cardiac arrest, so we know how important they are in helping to save people's lives.
“Sadly we've also had an instance of someone who was unable to access one at our station due to it being vandalised, so we'll also be using these events to encourage people to treat the defibrillators with respect and to report any damaged ones they spot on the network.”
Professor Len Nokes, Chair of Save a Life Cymru said: “Save a Life Cymru is delighted to be supporting TfW at this Defibruary event and to offer travellers at Cardiff and Wrexham Railway Stations some CPR and defibrillator awareness training.
“A person's chance of surviving a cardiac arrest depends on a bystander immediately performing CPR and using a defibrillator. A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any age and at any time and therefore having the confidence to act quickly if you are ever faced with such a medical emergency can ultimately help to save a life.
“If you can't join us at these Defibuary events, please search Save a Life Cymru website for advice and encouragement on how you could help save a life with CPR and a defibrillator.”
Our village station has benefited from a defib installed by TFW and we are all very grateful. Residents have posed questions which remain unanswered. Ours is not connected to a mains supply, what is the battery life and the same goes for the pads. Who is examining them and how often? Is a spare machine installed when a battery and recalibation is required. We look forward to a response, thank you.