Local communities learn how to save a life

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Written by Administrator

Wednesday, 22 August 2007

Under the Croí Lifeline Project, defibrillators have been recently located in both The White House, Attymon, Athenry and The Bridge Stores, Raford, Kiltullagh, Co Galway with a total of eight members of the local community trained in their use. The training was provided by Emer Burke, Croí Lifeline project co-ordinator and instructor, Julie O’Brien. A hugely successful fundraising fashion show organised by the Killimordaly/Kiltullagh Foroige Club enabled the purchase of these defibrillators. A third defibrillator has previously been sited at Duanes shop, Kiltullagh.

Speaking at the presentation of the AED to the Killimordaly/Kiltullagh Foroige Club, Emer Burke said: “Killimordaly/Kiltullagh Foroige Club and their supporters are to be commended for taking this initiative. Members of the community, who voluntarily stepped forward to be trained, are to be congratulated for showing such good community spirit. Hopefully the defibrillator will never have to be used, but having one readily available in cases of cardiac emergency, could literally mean the difference between life and death. Research shows that trained laypeople with access to a defibrillator having witnessed a cardiac arrest and being able to respond within minutes can significantly enhance survival outcomes. Studies have shown that survival rates of up to 40 per cent and higher have been achieved in these circumstances.”

“Croí is committed to promoting the widespread availability of defibrillators such that, in time, their availability and use will help increase the out-of-hospital survival rate from cardiac arrest, which currently is as low as one per cent,” she concluded.

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