LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Metrolink and health officials today celebrated the installation of automated external defibrillators on all of its trains, completing the project 18 months ahead of a deadline set by state law.
The AEDs are designed so people without medical training can use them on people suffering cardiac emergencies, administering an electric shock.
``Time is critical for a person having a cardiac arrest and, at their fastest, paramedics can take eight to 12 minutes to reach a person in crisis,'' said Dr. Ray Matthews, a board member of the American Heart Association in Los Angeles and chief 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 state Legislature passed a bill last year requiring the installation of AEDs on all commuter rail systems in the state by July 1, 2020. Metrolink's board agreed to spend $207,600 to purchase 57 of the devices.
The agency also posted a video on its website showing how the devices work.
``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,'' Metrolink board chairman Brian Humphrey said.
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