East Cork town's first responder group is back in action

Volunteers from the community first responder (CFR) group in Youghal have responded to 23 incidents during its first four weeks in operation, including three emergency calls the day it went live.

The group was formed in 2014 and responded to an average of 360 calls each year. However, it was stood down during the covid-19 pandemic. 

It was re-established this year with the support of emergency medical charity Critical and the National Ambulance Service and started taking calls on Thursday, September 4. During its first day, volunteers responded to two chest pain calls and to one medical emergency.

A team of 20 volunteers, including four paramedics, are now being tasked by the National Ambulance Service to respond to emergencies such as chest pain, cardiac arrests, stroke and choking incidents in Youghal and surrounding areas including Killeagh in Cork and Ardmore and Clashmore in Waterford.

David Tighe, CEO of Critical, said: “The fact that Youghal CFR group responded to three emergencies as soon as it went live shows the need for this service which is a vital step in the chain of survival.

“The Youghal group is now part of Critical’s growing network of CFR groups and volunteer responders across the country, giving up their time to respond to life-threatening incidents in their local community.”

Critical relies on fundraising and public donations to expand and grow its services, as it costs up to €15,000 to set up a new CFR group.

Patrick McCarthy, co-ordinator of Youghal CFR group, and community engagement officer with the National Ambulance Service, added: “All of our volunteers are trained to CFR advanced level and come from a range of medical and non-medical backgrounds.

“We’re lucky to have emergency first responders, and NAS paramedics and emergency medical technicians among our team members.

“We also have college students and retail workers who completed intensive training to be able to help people in their area when it matters most.

“I would like to thank the people of Youghal and surrounding areas who have been hugely supportive of us over the years.”