Cardiac Science to Supply Powerheart G3 AEDs to Chicago Metra

Metra becomes second transit agency in country to deploy AEDs on all its commuter trains

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Jan 07, 2013, 11:00 ET

WAUKESHA, Wis., Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardiac Science Corporation, an Opto Circuits group company and a global leader in automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and diagnostic cardiac monitoring devices, will supply Powerheart® G3 AEDs to all Chicago-area Metra commuter trains and other Metra facilities by the end of January.

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Under terms of the agreement, Cardiac Science will deploy 440 AEDs in Metra passenger cars, work facilities, and police vehicles; Cardiac Science also donated 30 AEDs to Metra. The deployment was made possible with a grant from the Regional Transportation Authority, sponsorship of Northwestern Medicine, and support of Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn.

Metra recorded nearly 82.7 million passenger trips in 2011, and is now the second transit system in the country to deploy AEDs on all of its trains.

"We are honored that Metra chose Cardiac Science to be the AED provider in its public access defibrillator (PAD) program," said Neal Long, Cardiac Science president and chief executive officer. "Allowing passengers, workers, and emergency personnel with easy access to defibrillators will combat sudden cardiac arrest and save lives."

At a press conference at a downtown Chicago Metra station on Dec. 27, Governor Quinn further underscored the importance of AEDs. "Having AEDs readily available on Metra cars will save lives," said Governor Quinn. "By being prepared, we can be ready to respond swiftly and safely in the unfortunate event of a medical emergency. By working together, we can get these critical devices in public spaces everywhere."

Governor Quinn signed the Good Samaritan Act into law in 2011 to provide Good Samaritan coverage for anyone who has successfully completed American Heart Association or American Red Cross AED training. It protects trained AED users from liability as long as they act in good faith.

About Cardiac Science

Cardiac Science, group company of Opto Circuits (India) Ltd., develops, manufactures, and markets a family of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic cardiology devices and systems, including automated external defibrillators (AED), electrocardiograph devices (ECG/EKG), cardiac stress treadmill and systems, PC-based diagnostic workstations, Holter monitoring systems, hospital defibrillators, vital signs monitors, cardiac rehabilitation telemetry systems, and cardiology data management systems (informatics) that connect with hospital information (HIS), electronic medical record (EMR), and other information systems. The company sells a variety of related products and consumables and provides a portfolio of training, maintenance, and support services. Cardiac Science, the successor to the cardiac businesses that established the trusted Burdick®, HeartCentrix®, Powerheart®, and Quinton® brands, is headquartered in Bothell, Washington. With customers in almost 100 countries worldwide, the company has operations in North America, Europe, and Asia. For information, call 425.402.2000 or visit http://www.cardiacscience.com.