In a public service initiative, the Western Railway (WR) will provide Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machines at 20 railway stations across the city, Thane, Palghar and Gujarat in the Mumbai Central Division, an official said here on Thursday.
These potential life-savers have been provided in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Bombay Airport as part of its CSR activities, said WR Chief Spokesperson Vineet Abhishek.
The AEDs are portable, life-saving devices which shall be on standby and prove useful in treating commuters who are suffering sudden heart attacks, he said.
"The AEDs will be used to provide emergency care to cardiac arrest commuters at the station. It is designed in such a way that it can be used by commoners also," he explained.
The AEDs are installed at stations like Churchgate, Marine Lines, Charni Road, Grant Road, Mahalaxmi, Lower Parel, Prabhadevi, Dadar, Bandra, Jogeshwari, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali, (Mumbai), Mira Road, Bhayander (Thane), Vasai, Nallasopara, Virar (Palghar) and Vapi in Gujarat.
An official said that over 35 lakh people commute by suburban local trains daily besides many more arriving by long-distance trains with halts at various locations like Dadar, Bandra, Borivali, Vapi.
"These AEDs shall prove to be useful for giving emergency treatment to any patients suffering from heart-attacks or displaying symptoms of cardiac arrest, and they can be used by the common persons," said the official.
He said that the AEDs are portable, user-friendly and can be used even by lay persons by following the voice instructions to use it.
It can analyse the heart's rhythm and if necessary, deliver an electrical shock to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm or defibrillation, and once the patient improves, he/she can be taken to a hospital for further treatment.
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