A South Tipperary Community First Responders Group is holding an open day this Sunday to highlight their work and thank the public for their support.
The Newcastle group provide a 24 hour, 365 days per year response to emergency chest pain, cardiac arrest, stroke and choking calls within a 5-kilometer radius of the village.
Speaking on Tipp Today earlier Chairperson Sean Byrne explained how they developed from a public access defibrillator group:
“About six years ago we decided to form a Community First Responders group – that’s formed under the National Ambulance Service.
“So there’s about 20 of us trained in all different types of CPR, defibrillation and different types of things.
“We meet every Wednesday night and we’re affiliated under the NAS so what that means now is that when a 999 call comes in from our area it comes directly to us as well. So the dispatcher will dispatch the ambulance first but then they immediately activate the CFR group and we would get to the patient within minutes whereas the ambulance might be 20 or 30 minutes out or whatever.”
The National Ambulance Service, Gardaí, the Defence Forces and the Munster Lowland Search Dogs will be there while the Irish Coastguard Rescue 117 Helicopter is due at around 3pm on Sunday.
On Tipp Today earlier secretary of the group Ciara Lonergan said the event will also help children see what happens in an emergency.
“You wouldn’t believe the situations children find themselves in, you know if something happens Mammy or Daddy.
“And I think it’s a nice atmosphere for them to see a CPR in action and what they would do if something happened. It’s an easy way but its still teaching them.”
