About Us
South Carlow Community First Responders are volunteers who come from various backgrounds and are trained to attend certain types of emergency calls within a 10km radius of South Carlow.
Our aim is to reach a potential life-threatening emergency such as the following, in the first vital minutes, while the Ambulance is en route.
Cardiac Arrest
Heart Attack
Choking
Stroke
We are there to stabilise the patient and provide the appropriate care including defibrillation until the highly skilled members of the National Ambulance Service take over treatment and transport the patient to the hospital.
As a CFR Live group, we are linked to the NAS National Emergency Operations Centre and are alerted to an Emergency within our community to provide medical assistance within minutes of a 999 / 112 call being received.
What to do in the event of a Cardiac Arrest?
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. Death or brain damage can occur within minutes. If you witness a cardiac arrest:
Check for a response – shake the person’s shoulders and ask loudly ‘can you hear me?’.
Shout for help – ask someone for an automated external defibrillator (AED). If you can’t find anyone to help, DO NOT DELAY – call 112 or 999 immediately put your phone on loudspeaker and follow the call-taker’s instructions before you start CPR.
Check for normal breathing – look, listen and feel for no more than 10 seconds and no less than 5 seconds.
If breathing is normal, put them on their side, tilting the head slightly upwards to open the airway and call 112 or 999, if you haven’t done already.
If breathing isn’t normal, protect their airway. Place one hand on the person’s forehead, gently tilt their head back, then lift their chin using two fingers of your other hand under their chin.
Start CPR
Kneel next to the person.
Place the heel of one hand in the centre of their chest. Place your other hand on top of the first. Interlock your fingers.
With straight arms, use the heel of your hand to push the breastbone down between 5-6 cm firmly and smoothly.
Do this at a rate of 100-120 chest compressions per minute – that’s around 2 per second.
Continue CPR until a portable AED arrives.
Listen to AED prompts and follow the directions.
Meet the Volunteers
Andrea
Colette
Aoibheann
Michelle
Bernie
Chris
Sheila
Ciara
Brian
Marie
Sinead
Elaine
Become a Volunteer
South Carlow CFR went live responding to emergency calls on 1st April 2023 and in the 12 months since we have been tasked to over 85 calls in our area.
Later this year we are planning to schedule our first intake of additional members. If you are living within our area of coverage, are over 18 years of age and would be interested in perhaps joining our team, then let us know. Please take a moment to read through our Policies & Procedures Handbook and complete our Membership Application form (Links Below). Once details of our next intake have been scheduled then we can get in touch to discuss further.
