How we handle a passenger falling ill aboard
At SNCF, keeping you safe is our top priority. When a passenger falls ill aboard one of our trains, the train manager takes action right away. Here’s how it works.
Passenger safety first
Train manager’s duties
When a passenger falls ill aboard one of our trains, the train manager is the first SNCF representative to step in. He or she talks to the passenger—or their companion—to make a preliminary assessment of the situation. In the process, the manager gathers critical information for emergency personnel: the patient’s gender and age, their symptoms, and their carriage/seat in the train. If the situation requires it, the traffic controller for the affected area calls in first responders and points them to the safest place to rendezvous with the train.
Is there a medical professional aboard?
Meanwhile the train manager makes an announcement calling for a doctor, nurse or other medical professional. If a volunteer steps forward, they can use the train’s emergency medical kit to make a preliminary diagnosis, assess the patient’s condition, and administer first aid as needed.
In every case, the train manager alerts the appropriate Operations Centre, which is responsible for delivering quality service on board or in the station where the train has stopped.
Defibrillators aboard our TGVs
Since 2009, each of our TGV trainsets has been equipped with a cardiac defibrillator, located in the café-bar. The onboard staff are trained to use it, and you can use it yourself, following the audio instructions given by the device.
Keeping traffic moving in a medical emergency
Stopping the train
When a passenger’s condition is serious enough to call in emergency personnel, the train must stop in an accessible location. Only the first responders can decide whether to move or evacuate the patient, and it’s impossible to know in advance how long it will take for them to do their work.
Impact on other trains
Meanwhile, with more trains arriving from behind, the traffic controller has to keep the rest of the system moving.
- If possible, these trains are routed to another track.
- If not, they must wait until the first responders have finished their work.
Once the patient has been successfully treated or evacuated, the traffic controller can gradually bring traffic back to normal.
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