Emergency responders service in Knocknacarra

A new community first responder group will be set up in Knocknacarra in the next month to ensure a prompt response for ill people until the ambulance arrives.

Those who volunteer in the group will cover the largest suburb of Galway which has the same population as Castlebar across a five-mile radius.

They will work in teams to provide basic life support and emergency patient care while an emergency response vehicle is on route to the scene.

The Knocknacarra group will be supported by a newly appointed community engagements officer.

“Supports given to these groups include a dedicated officer line of contact and developing communications links,” explained Paudie O’Riordan at this week’s Regional Health Forum West meeting.

In response to a query from Knocknacarra-based city Councillor Niall McNelis, Mr O’Riordan said volunteers on call on a rota system would carry a pager or mobile phone. They would receive a text or page notifying them that an incident has occurred.

They will be asked to reply to indicate their whereabouts and asked to attend the scene.

“Some people only want to go to a cardiac arrest, others can go to drownings,” Mr O’Riordan told the meeting.
For the rest of this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. Buy a digital edition of this week’s paper here, or download the app for Android or iPhone.