All Montréal métro stations to be equipped with defibrillators

Press release

Automated external defibrillators will be installed in all métro stations over the following weeks.

Montréal, March 1, 2021 – The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) will begin installing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in all its métro stations this week. The devices will be installed next to station fare booths, where they will be easily accessible and visible. A total of 76 AEDs will be required to cover the full métro network and will be installed gradually over a five-week period.

The STM acquired 209 of these defibrillators following a call for tenders for an overall cost of $306,379. An earlier phase of deployment involved installing AEDs in vehicles used by STM incident commanders and security and control officers to ensure optimal coverage of the surface network. The rest of the devices will be installed not only in the métro network but also in several STM workplaces, such as workshops, bus garages and offices.

“The safety of our customers and employees is paramount, and the fulfilment of this project is excellent news. In just a few weeks, no matter where an incident may happen in a métro station, access to a defibrillator will be less than five minutes away. That can make a huge difference to a survival prognosis,” said Philippe Schnobb, Chairman of the STM board of directors.

Easy to use
Even in an emergency situation, these user-friendly devices can be used by someone with no medical or first-aid training, if necessary. The selected model, the LifePak CR2 by Physiocontrol, is automated and includes real-time user instructions. The defibrillator analyzes the patient’s heart rate and determines whether or not an electric shock needs to be administered, providing spoken and visual instructions to guide the user through the process.

Making a difference when every minute counts
Early use of an AED triples a person’s chances of survival, according to the Jacques-de-Champlain Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving resuscitative care and advancing cardiovascular medical research in Quebec. The STM hopes to help minimize the consequences of cardiovascular events, unpredictable though they are, by making AEDs more accessible to its employees and customers, both throughout the STM’s transit network and in its workplaces.

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medias@stm.info