Our Ref:          FOI-2820-1718

Thank you for your request received on 6 January 2018 asking for information about defibrillators at stations.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require. You asked for:

Is it correct that defibrillators are installed at all TfL stations, both underground and surface rail? Are they regularly checked & maintained, eg batteries renewed? At what intervals? Are staff trained in their use?

Please see the attached map showing the London Underground stations that have Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). The locations are derived from data from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) as well as the data we own around incidents on stations. They are checked on a weekly basis and maintained as necessary. Records are kept of all checks on station and with the LAS. There is no specific training required as they are designed to be used by someone who has never used one before, including members of the public, although staff are offered training on the subject on request.

Currently AEDs are installed at 40 of the stations managed by London Overground, and have also been installed by us at Clapham Junction station. These defibrillators are installed at the busiest stations i.e. those with highest footfall. The defibrillators are checked at least every 28 days. Attached is an image of one of the defibrillators at Shepherd’s Bush station. Whilst the cabinets are alarmed the defibrillators are accessible to everyone (including members of the public) for use in an emergency, and can be safely used with no prior training. However, appropriate training can be arranged for any staff requesting this.

Testing of the AEDS on London Overground during regular inspections is as follows, to be undertaken by Station Delivery Managers at least every 28 days:

• Take the defibrillator out of the wall-mounted cabinet;
• Check that the outer casing of the defibrillator is not damaged;
• Check that the green tick is displayed (and not the red cross);
• Press the on/off button firmly – when the voice says ‘unit okay’, press the on/off button again to silence;
• Check that the green tick is displayed again;
• Place back in the cabinet;
• Record the successful test carried out during the inspection

Please see the attached for details of how the defibrillators are inspected to ensure they will work properly in an emergency.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]

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