A SHORT video on social media capturing Metro employees and bystanders helping a collapsed man at the Shenzhen University Station on Metro Line 1 has drawn widespread praise.

At 5 p.m. Nov. 18, a passenger collapsed while descending the escalator at Exit A1. Metro employee Xie Baoyu quickly alerted the station’s control office, while police officer Wen Zengyao and station head Lu Jianpeng rushed to assist. Finding the man unconsciousness and not breathing, Lu called for an ambulance, and with the help of a passenger named Wan, began using an automated external defibrillator (AED).

They administered first aid calmly and efficiently until medical personnel from Nanshan People’s Hospital arrived and transported the man to the hospital. Thanks to timely treatment, the man’s vital signs returned to normal. He was confirmed to have suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

It takes just four minutes for brain cells to be permanently damaged due to a severe lack of oxygen in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. If medical workers do not arrive at the scene of such emergencies within 10 minutes, the chances of a victim surviving are minimal.

An AED can recognize an abnormal heart rhythm and quickly correct it with an electric shock. The devices are viewed in medical circles as a more efficient and effective method of saving lives in emergencies than using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

In this case, Shenzhen Metro staff and bystanders acted swiftly, using professional first aid skills to save the man during the critical window.

Since 2019, Shenzhen Metro Group employees have utilized CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and AEDs to respond to 43 incidents involving 44 individuals in life-threatening situations, including 10 this year.

A total of 1,074 AEDs have been installed across all Metro stations, and 12,380 Metro employees — 9,600 on daily duty — are first-aid certified, making Shenzhen the city with the most first-aid trained personnel in its Metro system.

Passengers needing help are advised to contact station staff or call the service hotline at 8896-0600.

(Han Ximin)