South Western Railway (SWR) is installing 154 publicly accessible defibrillators across its network. 

A SWR employee whose son died of a cardiac arrest welcomed the installations and hopes that they will one day save a life and stop a family going through the same heartbreak as his family did.

The company is investing over half a million pounds in the project, which it hopes will save lives and serve local communities. 

During a cardiac arrest, every second counts. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) estimates that there are around 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the United Kingdom, and tragically just 1 in 10 people survive. The immediate use of CPR and defibrillators can double the chances of survival.

The defibrillators will be placed close to the entrance of the stations and will be available day and night to members of the public, railway staff and medical teams. 

Local health services and railway staff will be given the codes to access the defibrillators, which will be added to the BHF's database of known defibrillator locations, known as 'The Circuit'. 

The announcement of the defibrillator installation project coincides with the naming of an SWR train after the Alex Wardle Foundation, in a ceremony held at London Waterloo station on Tuesday 14 March. 

Steve Wardle has worked for SWR for 38 years. His son Alex passed away suddenly in 2016 due to an undiagnosed heart condition. He was 23. 

Alex died from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS), which is when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly from a cardiac arrest, particularly young, apparently healthy, people. The foundation was set up by Alex's family and friends to help raise awareness and reduce deaths. 

Steve Wardle and SWR Managing Director Claire Mann unveiled the Alex Wardle Foundation logo on car number 23 (which is the age Alex was when he passed away) of a Class 444 train. 

SWR has raised more than £7,000 for the Alex Wardle Foundation to contribute community defibrillators as well as training courses for their use. This helped inspire SWR's decision to fund defibrillators at its stations. 

Steve Wardle, Alex Wardle's father and founder of the Alex Wardle Foundation, said:  "It is wonderful to see this vision come to life. Having worked on the railway for nearly 40 years, I am thankful of the railway family's support.

"March 2023 will mark 7 years since Alex's death and, although I am still a grieving parent, I feel proud of everything that we have achieved to support our community.  

"This is such a momentous occasion and a showcase of everyone's dedication. Defibrillators save lives and I hope that one day, if needed, it will save someone and their family true heartbreak. We are extremely grateful, and this is such an exciting opportunity." 

Claire Mann, Managing Director of South Western Railway, said: "I'm honoured to have unveiled SWR's Alex Wardle Foundation train at London Waterloo today alongside Alex's inspirational father Steve, who has served the railway for so many years and whose foundation we are proud to support. 

"Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome and other heart conditions can impact us all. As part of SWR's commitment to the local communities we serve, I'm so pleased that we are installing defibrillators at every single one of our staffed stations, which could very well prove to be lifesaving." 

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