CRITICAL charity is set to launch ‘Ready, Set, Respond’ on September 6.

Ireland’s leading emergency medical charity is encouraging workplaces, community groups and individuals to sign up to a 41-day fitness challenge as the charity continues to expand its services to additional locations.

The charity has a growing network of more than 300 volunteer responders who are active in 21 counties.

These volunteers have responded to almost 1,000 medical and trauma incidents including 187 cardiac arrests since the start of this year.

The network includes Emergency Doctors in locations such as Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Donegal, Dublin and Wicklow; Community First Responder Groups; and off-duty paramedics, EMTs, Advanced Paramedics.

‘Ready, Set, Respond’ begins on Saturday, September 6, which is National Services Day. The project will run until Thursday, October 16, which is Restart a Heart Day.

Teams are set a collective goal of reaching 1,308km; to match the number of emergency calls CRITICAL volunteers responded to in 2024.

Participants can run, walk, cycle or even swim to reach the target.

The funds raised will be used to expand the service to new locations.

It costs an average of €150,000 to put a new, fully-stocked Critical Care response vehicle on the road, while it costs up to €15,000 to set up a new CFR group. Life support bags which contain a defibrillator, a resuscitation kit and a medical diagnostic kit cost €1,500 each.

David Tighe, CEO of CRITICAL said, “We know that every second counts in an emergency situation which is why we’re committed to expanding our network of volunteer responders to even more locations across the country. We have seen a massive increase in call-outs this year and it is fitting that this challenge starts on National Services Day, a day when we celebrate frontline workers and the emergency services.”

Anita Duffy, Rhona Boland and Michael Hunt . Photograph- Patrick Browne

Jeppe Rasmussen, Head of Fundraising with CRITICAL added, “We hope workplaces, communities, clubs and our Community First Responder groups will take part in this unique challenge. Every contribution helps us to continue this vital lifesaving work.”

For more information, to sign up or to make a donation visit www.criticalcharity.ie