by Sean Hillen
COMMUNITIES throughout Donegal are taking their emergency health needs into their own hands – by expanding the number of volunteer First Responder medical units to help victims of cardiac arrest.
And Annagry and Falcarragh are the latest to work together, with members of the latter, more experienced group, set to help the other start-up.
“The response has been extremely strong and enthusiastic,” said John McShane, Community Engagement Officer within the West and Northwest regions of the National Ambulance Service who oversees First Responder units in Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Galway and Mayo.
“Learning what neighbouring communities are doing, others are encouraged to establish such units themselves, and often work together, which is a very positive development. These volunteers must be admired, they have other responsibilities, often full-time jobs, yet they use their free time to help other unfortunate people in their communities.”
John, a paramedic for over twenty years and a member of the search and rescue helicopter service, said such units are particularly important in the many rural communities of Donegal.
“In cardiac arrest situations, time is vital. The clock starts ticking immediately. For every minute CPR is not applied, that person’s survival rate declines by around ten percent. First Responders are not a replacement for the ambulance service, they’re complementary to it. Importantly, such volunteers know the geography of their local areas very well so they can get to the scene faster. Often they know the victims too, which helps in these sensitive situations.”
Encouraged by articles in the Donegal News over the last few months about the importance of First Responders, enterprising Sarah Webber who has lived in Annagry for 18 years recently launched one there which has now completed its third meeting.
“We have ten volunteers, an eighty-twenty mix of women and men, from people in their thirties to those in their seventies,” she said.
“Fortunately, many members of our group have some medical training, including a retired nurse, a health and safety officer, a trainee paramedic and a pharmacist, plus two medical consultants from Ukraine. We’re being guided by John and his team and are also in touch with the Falcaragh First Responders group. Our next meeting is on May 7 at Scióbol an Phobail and we warmly welcome new members.”
Shaun Boylan, with Falcarragh First Responders, said: “We’re delighted about a group starting in Annagry and are always glad to help in any way we can. It’s an extremely important medical service and we are very grateful to the Donegal News for publishing the stories it did several months ago, which made our work better known publicly and helped attract another volunteer.”
Shaun also thanked local people involved in recent community events which raised vital funds to supply volunteers with new kit bags and replace automated external defibrillator (AED) pads that analyse patients heart rhythms and deliver electric shocks.
John added: “As we do in all such initiatives, we provide support in the form of information sessions, equipment needs and training, both online and face-to-face.”
Established around 20 years ago, he said there are around 250 volunteers in 18 active groups now in Donegal, including Falcarragh, Ramelton, Kilcar, Muff, Killybegs, Creeslough, Convoy, Ardara and Glenties, with three more in training.
There are 350 groups nationally which responded to about 13,000 life-threatening emergencies last year.