New Community First Responder Group will serve areas of Kilkenny

A new Community First Responder group has this week been activated following months of training to deal with certain types of emergency calls.

Covering an area of 10km radius from Clashganny, encompassing Goresbridge, Borris, Rathanna, Ballymurphy, Graiguenamanagh, Glynn and St. Mullins, the South Carlow Community First Responders are a group of volunteers from various backgrounds who have come together to support their local community.

The aim of the group is to reach a potential life-threatening emergency such as Cardiac Arrest, Heart Attack, Choking or Stroke in the first vital minutes and to stabilise the patient until the highly skilled members of the National Ambulance Service arrive to take over treatment and transport the patient to the hospital.

In most cases the Community First Responders will be on the scene within minutes.

This early attendance could literally mean the difference between life and death for the casualty, especially when the casualty has suffered a Cardiac Arrest and requires immediate potential life saving interventions.

In the event of an emergency, you are reminded to dial 999 and depending on your emergency a CFR may be alerted and dispatched where available to reach the patient in advance and support the ambulance team when they arrive.

South Carlow CFR is made up of 12 volunteers from the local community and your support is vital towards assisting them.

Here are a range of ways you can help:

• As a voluntary organisation we depend on donations, which will fund vital equipment like AEDs
• Knowing where more AEDs are located across the region could make a huge difference in the event of an emergency, if you know of an AED near to you, then please let them know
• Perhaps you are considering placing an AED in your business or local area, then please get in touch with them and they can advise
• Share the word about South Carlow CFR. You can also find them on Instagram their website, 'www.southcarlowCFR.ie'.

Sheila Ellard, Chairperson of South Carlow CFR commented, “We have been training intensely since last Autumn and are delighted to be now going live. The response and support we have received so far from businesses and the community has been amazing, however we know that there is still loads to be done in terms of awareness and fundraising for vital equipment to support the work of the first responders. Donations of any size are most welcome and can be made through our website, additionally get in touch with us on SouthCarlowCFR@gmail.com.”