Pictures: Life-saving defibrillators fitted at East Cork garda stations

Gardaí in Midleton and Cobh have added a vital piece of lifesaving equipment to their respective stations, unveiling new defibrillators outside their doors.

Superintendent Adrian Gamble told The Echo that the long-term plan was to have a defibrillator at each garda station in the area, with Youghal “in the pipeline”, and then the other stations in the area in the future.

“We’re hosting the defibrillators to give them added security and also as part of our own role in keeping people safe,” he said.

Sergeant Gillian Meaney, sergeant-in-charge in Midleton, said training in the use of defibrillators would be given to all gardaí in the station.

“We’ve also registered them with the National Ambulance Service, so if someone phones 999/112, they will be directed to the defibrillator,” she said.

Ger O’Dea, community engagement officer with the National Ambulance Service, said that having a defibrillator at the scene of a cardiac arrest as soon as possible was of the utmost importance.

“Currently we have 4,000 defibrillators registered on our system, and they are such a valuable piece of equipment,” Mr O’Dea said. “It’s great that An Garda Síochána have allowed their installation at their premises and I’m sure that it will benefit the communities of Midleton and Cobh.”

Mr O’Dea said the first link in the chain of survival (see panel) was recognising that someone was in cardiac arrest and calling 999/112.

“The emergency services will be able to direct you to the location of any registered defibrillator nearby, you’ll be able to go and get it, and then the goal is good quality chest compressions, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), and to give a shock from the defibrillator.

“Those two, joined together, within five or six minutes of cardiac arrest, gives the patient their biggest chance of survival, but for every minute that passes when they are in cardiac arrest, their chance of survival drops between 7% to 10%. So that’s why it’s so important to have defibrillators like this in the community,” he said.

“The emergency call-taker will talk you through assessing the patient, talk you through how to do CPR, and when somebody arrives with a defibrillator, the defibrillator takes over, because once you turn it on, it will tell you what to do and prompt you through the process. They’re completely safe and will not shock someone who does not need to be shocked.”

Iain Grant, community first responder (CFR) co-ordinator in East Cork, said that currently only 24% of people suffering cardiac arrest have had defibrillation before emergency services arrive, but with each new defibrillator added in communities, public awareness was rising.

“To give people a good chance of survival, it’s early CPR and early defibrillation. Now, while there’s a defibrillator en route from CFRs or from the ambulance service, it’s great to have one within 500 metres of someone that’s going into cardiac arrest,” he said.