In a unique collaboration to promote life-saving skills, specialist members of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) Resuscitation team joined forces with Southeastern to train members of the public in CPR and emergency resuscitation techniques at Maidstone East station.

The event – co-ordinated by MTW’s Emergency Planning team – took place on Thursday 16 October, coinciding with Restart A Heart Day, an annual initiative led by the Resuscitation Council UK, aiming at increasing survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

As commuters hurried through the bustling platform 1 during rush hour, MTW’s resuscitation experts demonstrated how quickly critical CPR skills can be learned – empowering everyday people to act confidently in medical emergencies.

The commuters were able to work with the experts, using simulation manikins, with many participants able to master the basics in just a few minutes.

With over 30,000 cardiac arrests occurring outside hospitals annually in the UK, only half of adults know what to do in such a situation.

MTW’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sara Mumford said: “Restart A Heart Day is about saving lives through simple, effective action. By equipping people with CPR skills and knowledge of defibrillator use, we can dramatically improve outcomes for cardiac arrest victims. We’re proud to not only support this event, but to also partner with Southeastern Rail to reach commuters where they are, turning everyday journeys into opportunities to learn life-saving techniques.”

Resuscitation Officer Lesley Higham, who attended the event, said: “Many commuters were surprised at how straightforward CPR is once you know the steps, and how little time it takes to make a real difference.

“It’s incredibly empowering to witness everyday people gain the confidence to act decisively in an emergency — because in those critical moments, their actions could mean the difference between life and death.”

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed across Southeastern stations, providing clear, spoken instructions to help bystanders deliver a potentially life-saving electric shock. In the last year alone, they have been used nearly 250 times by station staff and passengers.

MTW also has eight defibrillators installed across its hospital sites, available for public use and the event highlighted the critical role of these devices, with firsthand testimony from Sebastian Szymanski, a ticket office staff member at Maidstone East. In 2018, Sebastian and a colleague successfully used a defibrillator to save a passenger who had collapsed on the platform.

“Getting people home safe every day is part of the job, but training and knowledge – even just knowing basic CPR or where to find the nearest defibrillator – can make all the difference,” said Mr. Szymanski. “It was great to see so many passengers and staff taking time out of their busy mornings to learn what to do in an emergency.”

You can watch a video from the event below.