Translink to install life-saving defibrillators on all NI Railways trains by end of 2025

(L-R) Robin Winsby, Translink Project Manager, John Thompson, Translink Head of Safety and Corporate Responsibility,  Michael Allen, Community Resuscitation Team Manager, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Fearghal McKinney, Head of British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland. 

Translink has announced a major life-saving initiative that will see Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) installed across its entire NI Railways train fleet by the end of December 2025.

The move means that all local train services in Northern Ireland will soon carry vital emergency equipment designed to help passengers suffering a cardiac arrest — a medical emergency that can strike anyone, at any time.

The announcement marks the latest stage in Translink’s commitment to passenger safety, following the installation of 134 AED units at more than 80 bus and rail facilities across Northern Ireland in recent years.

“Every second counts in a cardiac emergency”

Announcing the rollout, John Thompson, Translink’s Head of Safety and Corporate Responsibility, said:

“This latest development reflects our ongoing commitment to keeping people safe and these life-saving kits are currently being installed across our rail fleet.

“We know that with a cardiac arrest every second counts so having AEDs accessible to everyone on board a train could make all the difference in an emergency.”

Each defibrillator will be stored in the train’s first aid cabinet, located beside the accessible toilet on board each Translink NI Railways train.. The AED units are equipped with audio and visual step-by-step instructions, guiding users through the process in an emergency situation.

New signage will be installed throughout every carriage to clearly direct staff and passengers to the defibrillator. No prior training is required to operate the device, as users are guided through the process with step-by-step audio instructions and visual prompts on the screen.

This initiative is particularly crucial in Northern Ireland, where there are around 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) each year, but tragically, less than one in ten people survive.

Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 per cent, yet it is estimated that public-access defibrillators are used in fewer than 10 per cent of these emergencies. The rollout of AEDs on trains aims to make life-saving intervention faster and more accessible, potentially improving survival rates significantly.

Mr Thompson added that Translink also provides online CPR training tools to help staff feel confident in responding if needed:

“We also provide online CPR training tools to support our employees should they find themselves in an emergency situation in the future.”

British Heart Foundation welcomes rollout

Graeme Irwin, Translink Technical Engineer , shows one of the AEDs installed on NI Railways trains. 

The initiative has been warmly welcomed by the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI).

Fearghal McKinney, Head of BHF NI, praised Translink’s proactive move to improve cardiac emergency readiness:

“Every defibrillator has the power to save a life and it’s great to see Translink’s recognition of the importance of these live-saving devices by installing them in trains across Northern Ireland.

“There are over 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in Northern Ireland. Tragically, less than one in ten people survive. This is partly because public access defibrillators are not used often enough.”

BHF NI has also partnered with Translink to train staff using its free online CPR tool, RevivR, which teaches users how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator in just 15 minutes.

“Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival. It takes just 15 minutes to learn through RevivR, and all you need is a mobile phone or tablet and a cushion – that’s 15 minutes learning a skill that could one day save the life of a loved one,” Mr McKinney added.

Ambulance Service: “Time matters the most”

John Thompson, Translink Head of Safety and Corporate Responsibility, Fearghal McKinney, Head of British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland and Michael Allen, Community Resuscitation Team Manager, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. 

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) also welcomed the announcement, describing the increased access to AEDs as a vital step in improving survival rates.

Michael Allen, Community Resuscitation Team Manager at NIAS, said:

“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. This key initiative increases public access to vital, lifesaving equipment in the early moments of cardiac arrest, when time matters the most.”

With AEDs soon to be installed on every Translink train, and CPR training now more accessible than ever, the rollout represents a significant step forward in public health and safety across Northern Ireland’s transport network.