Carrick-on-Suir Community First Responders Group presented with emergency medical kits

Caption for photo above: Pictured at the presentation of the emergency medical kits were from left: Pat McCarthy, National Ambulance Service; Greg, Ryan Nolan, Ethan Devereau, Carrick CFR Scheme Coordinator Adam Hunt, Anita Duffy, Paramedic and Trainer Danny Dowdall, Nicola Long, Michael Hunt, Angela Casey, CRITICAL Operations & Standards Manager Edward Walsh and CRITICAL Logistics & Fundraising Officer Donie Lucey. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian

Representatives of Emergency Medical Response charity, CRITICAL, presented Carrick-on-Suir Community First Responders with three emergency medical kits at one of the group’s recent weekly training meetings.

The basic life support bags, valued at 1,500, contain a defibrillator, a resuscitation kit, BP cuff, stethoscope and a medical diagnostic kit which enables volunteers to respond quickly and begin potentially life-saving treatment before the emergency services arrive.

Carrick-on-Suir Community First Responders was set up in October 2023 to aid and assist the National Ambulance Service and respond to life-threatening emergencies in the community.

The group trains at the Nano Nagle Community Resource Centre in Carrick weekly.

The kits were presented to the group’s members at their training session on Wednesday. March 27.

CRITICAL Operations & Standards Manager Edward Walsh said he was delighted to attend the training session and announced that Carrick-on-Suir Community First Responders was the 3rd established CFR group in the country with others forming nationwide.

The other two groups are based in Newcastle West, Limerick and Blackwater, Cork.

Mr Walsh spoke about the formation of CRITICAL in 2009 as Irish Community Rapid Response. In 2019, the charity successfully launched Ireland’s first and only charity Air Ambulance.

The charity’s Emergency Medical Responders have responded to over 1,800 calls in the past 3 years.

In 2023, the charity changed its name to CRITICAL and is now focused on expanding its network of volunteer Emergency Medical Responders (EMR) and CRITICAL Community First Responders (CFR) across Ireland.

Carrick-on-Suir Community First Responders Coordinator Adam Hunt thanked the special guests and his CFR team, who have worked and trained diligently over the last few months.

He said the scheme was ready to launch and go live, which will be a big help to their community and town with all trained volunteers ready to be on-call.

Mr Hunt thanked the group’s volunteers for making this huge commitment.

The CFR team will respond to life threatening emergencies within the community alongside the National Ambulance Service (NAS), Tipperary Fire & Rescue Service and An Garda Síochána Tipperary.

Pat McCarthy, Community Engagement Officer from the National Ambulance Service in Youghal, said Carrick-on-Suir was lucky to have such a dedicated trained group.

“Time is of the essence in emergencies when you have a critical 4-6 minutes to perform potentially life saving procedures,” he said.

“In medical emergencies every second counts and the first 60 minutes, known as the Golden Hour, are critical. In that time a quick medical response determines a person’s survival chances and outcomes.”

He thanked Kilkenny paramedic and trainer Danny Dowdall and Adam Hunt for giving up their free time for their community.

He also thanked CRITICAL team members Edward Walsh and Donie Lucey who presented the basic life support bags to the Carrick CFR team.

Another two medical kit bags will be presented to the Carrick CFR in the months ahead.

The group will organise two fundraising events each year with the help of the CRITICAL charity support team.
Once Carrick CFR team is operational, its members will be on 24-hour call linked to reports of emergencies via an app on their phones under their partnership with CRITICAL.

Anyone wishing to join Carrick CFR group, which meets every Wednesday from 7-9pm in Nano Nagle Community Resource Centre, can get in contact via the Facebook page: Carrick-on-Suir First Responders.