Castledermot Responders Group

The Castledermot Responders Group is made of ordinary community members trained, as a minimum in basic life support and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), who attend potentially life threatening emergencies with the local area.

We are members of the public who volunteer to help our community by responding to medical emergencies while the ambulance is traveling to the scene. If you wanted to become a Community First Responder you would be trained in a wide range of emergency skills, and use specialised equipment such as automatic external defibrillators, aspirin and oxygen therapy. You would then be able to provide an early intervention in situations such as a heart attack or cardiac arrest before the National Ambulance Service crew arrives. This improves patient survival and recovery.

Our primary role is to deliver emergency and urgent care response for the local community. We know that every second counts in an emergency: e.g. cardiac arrest, stroke and heart attack. Having considered international evidence it’s clear that equipping communities with equipment and basic life-saving skills will save lives.

Our groups objective is to be on the scene of a suspected Heart Attack or Cardiac Arrest providing emergency care while the Ambulance Service is still on the way. While on scene our members will be;
* Giving oxygen therapy.
* Clearing and controlling the airway of an unconscious patient.
* Providing resuscitation and defibrillation.
* Making them feel more comfortable and at ease.
* Taking basic observations.
* Reassuring worried relatives and taking charge of the situation.
* Using local knowledge to ensure that the Ambulance can find the location quickly.