Kinsale First Responders win community award

KINSALE Community First Responders is the latest winner of the Cork International Hotel Community Spirit Award.

The group was set up in 2017 and has 11 volunteers who respond to life-threatening emergencies including cardiac arrest, chest pain, stroke, and minor traumatic calls.

The volunteers are tasked by the National Ambulance Service to carry out a range of calls, covering an area with a population of over 5,000 which increases in the busy summer months.

They either live or work in the area and can respond within minutes and are dispatched simultaneously with the National Ambulance Service to status one 999 emergency calls within a 5km radius of their communities.

The group operates 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and provides essential first aid until the emergency services arrive at the scene.

Kinsale Community First Responders also provides and maintains a network of emergency defibrillator devices throughout the town and district, and also regularly runs lifesaving classes for local community groups.

The Cork International Hotel Community Spirit Awards are sponsored by the Carrigdhoun newspaper and Gerald McCarthy Giftware, and the judging panel comprises a mixture of representatives from the public and private sector within the community.

General manager of the Cork International Hotel Eoghan Murphy said the awards recognise the dedication and commitment of volunteers who go above and beyond to improve the lives of those living in their local area.

“The work carried out by the Kinsale Community First Responders is an example of how people are giving of their time to help others in a time when they are most in need.

“We know that every minute counts when a person suffers a cardiac arrest and first responders are a vital part of the chain of survival. It’s comforting and reassuring for the community to know that they have easy access to immediate care and treatment when needed.”

Nominations for the awards can be made at: https://www.corkinternationalairporthotel.com/community-spirit-awards/