As a pioneering project in Europe, Barcelona launches cabs to attend cardiac arrests.
A fleet of 50 cabs are equipped with state-of-the-art defibrillators and direct connection to the 112 emergency number.
These vehicles are called “cardioprotected cabs”. The test begins in Barcelona with the aim of turning these cars into a service halfway between private transport and public ambulance.
The drivers of these cabs have previously completed a course on basic life support and the use of defibrillators with the Red Cross.
The goal is to turn them into small emergency medical vehicles, thanks to the fact that they are geolocated at all times.
They will be able to attend to any cardio-respiratory arrest in the vicinity.
Cabs to attend cardiac arrests
The project has been led by the Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Salud, SOS Taxi, the Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) and the multinational Huawei.
The test, which began in July 2022, will last between 18 and 24 months.
The pilot will also be extended to the Spanish capital in the near future and it is intended to be extended to other cities in the country.
For its part, Huawei is pleased to be able to collaborate in this project and to be able to integrate technology into healthcare.
According to the company, this is part of its global strategy.
In addition, as part of the “Spain, cardioprotected territory” program, several pharmacies in different localities, metro stations, schools and police stations, among other strategic points in the city, have already been equipped with defibrillators.
