Lifesaving defibrillators are being introduced at railway stations across the North West to help save people in cardiac arrest.
Network Rail have partnered with Northern as part of the £134,000 investment to create a network of 90 stations all kitted out with vital medical equipment.
Blackburn is the first station to benefit from the investment with Bamber Bridge, Poulton-le-Fylde, St-Annes-on-the-Sea, Leyland and Kirkham and Wesham set to follow suit.
Network Rail spoke on the importance of having lifesaving equipment at stations.
Maise Hogan, Sponsor at Network Rail said: “As we welcome more people back to the rail network, passengers can expect… safer journeys thanks to our £134,000 investment in defibrillators.
“[This] means that those who suffer a cardiac arrest, will have a much better chance of staying alive.
“Thanks to these light, portable devices that can be quickly deployed to help restore a normal heart rhythm.”
Chris Jackson, Regional Manager at Northern elaborated on the impact the defibrillators can have on the wider communities Northern serve.
Mr Jackson said: “All our defibrillators are publicly accessible.
“They are of huge benefit, not only to those travelling with us, but also the communities we serve.
“They will make a positive impact for the North.
“We will continue to work hard to introduce defibrillators at even more of our stations.”
Every defibrillator has step by step spoken instructions built in which explain how to use it on someone in an emergency.
Computers inside the defibrillators work to analyse a person’s heart rhythms to find out if an electric shock is needed.
Electrodes then automatically deliver the shock if required.
The installation of defibrillators forms part of a wider £134,000 railway investment in stations in Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria.
