The initiative plans for the 2,150 buses of the municipal company to have these devices, with 900 vehicles already equipped. The mayor highlighted that this measure makes Madrid "a safer and healthier city".
Almeida, alongside the delegate for Urban Planning, Environment, and Mobility, Borja Carabante, explained that this constitutes "the largest cardioprotection network that can exist in a city." These defibrillators will not only be available to public transport users but to anyone suffering a cardiac event in public, who can stop a bus for assistance.
The devices are intelligent and, upon activation, automatically contact the Samur emergency service, detecting the severity of the cardiac arrest and providing voice instructions until paramedics arrive. These devices are expected to save lives by reducing the average response time for cardiac arrests.
The defibrillators are considered very easy to use, with clear instructions. Additionally, all EMT Madrid drivers have received specific training, although it is emphasized that anyone could use them.
