Defibrillator may be centrally located

The committee of the Kilcullen First Responders voluntary group which decided to disband earlier this week is exploring ways to make the defribrillator unit (AED) it posseses available to the community by placing it in a central location, writes Brian Byrne.

This follows a meeting of the committee subsequent to last Tuesday's decision to disband. In a statement issued last night, the KFR committee also pledged to support any new group of volunteers who wish to establish a new community first responder unit in the town. The full text of the statement follows.

On Tuesday February 7th 2012 at a meeting of the Kilcullen First Responders (KFR) the voluntary group decided to disband. At a subsequent KFR committee meeting there was discussion of how to fulfil our ongoing obligation to the community, especially with regard to the defibrillator (AED) and our in-house skills.

At this meeting a decision was taken to explore ways of improving the community's access to the AED by placing it in a central location in the town giving around the clock access to the unit. This objective is in line with practices elsewhere which has been proven to be effective.

The KFR committee will support any new group of volunteers who wish to establish a new community first responder unit in the town. In the interim we understand that the Calverstown First Responder unit have been officially nominated by the HSE Ambulance Service to cover the Kilcullen area until a new voluntary responder unit is established.

Meanwhile, the National Ambulance Service is currently developing a policy relating to notifying first responders which would deal with the issues that led to the disbandment of the KFR group. There's no timeframe for when this will be rolled out.


Click on the ad for details

New CFR policy in development

The National Ambulance Service is currently working on a national Cardiac First Response Policy for first responders which will ensure that responders will be notified at the same time as an ambulance is despatched, writes Brian Byrne.

The Diary was was informed of that this afternoon in relation to our story earlier today on the disbandment of the Kilcullen First Responders.

According to similarly worded statements from the HSE and the Irish Heart Foundation, it is anticipated with the implementation of this plan and the development of the national AED register (which is a joint project between the National Ambulance Service and the Irish Heart Foundation), that the outcome from pre-hospital cardiac arrest will improve from the current 5.2 percent survival rate.

The statements say this new policy will ensure that when a 999/112 call reaches the call centre, an ambulance will be dispatched immediately and responders in the local area will also be dispatched at the same time. Early dispatch to a cardiac arrest is necessary for survival.

"There was never a CFR policy before," says Caroline Cullen, Communications Officer at the IHF, "so we welcome this and the development of a new register."

No comment was made in relation to the Kilcullen situation or how the current policy is working. Nor was any timeline given before this policy will be rolled out.


Click on the ad for more information.

Cardiac First Responders disband: UPDATED

Kilcullen Cardiac First Responders has disbanded after six years in operation—because of what they say is a lack of cooperation from the HSE Ambulance Service, writes Brian Byrne. But one member says she intends to keep it going.

The committee decided last Tuesday by a majority at their meeting to disband. Chairperson Nichola Kennedy says that the Responders only received two calls since last August, despite knowledge of several incidents of possible cardiac arrest in their area which were called in to 999 but were not automatically notified to the Responders by the Ambulance Service.

“It’s a waste of the service and a waste of people's time,” says Nichola Kennedy. “The whole service depends on us getting calls from the Ambulance Service and we weren't getting calls. In the end, at our meeting on Tuesday night we officially turned off the mobile phone and disbanded the group.”

However, group member Geri Dineen said last night that the HSE has been 'passed over to me to take over' following Tuesday night's meeting. She says Des Kelly of the HSE told her the group cannot be disbanded 'if there is at least one person interested in taking over'. "And I am," she told the Diary. "The scheme needs fine tuning but is too important to let go."

Pat Behan of the Calverstown CFR, which has been closely related to the Kilcullen group, says 'problems will be solved'. He also told the Diary that his group will give cover to Kilcullen while the situation here is being resolved.

The Irish Heart Foundation, which is a partner in the CFR scheme nationally, says it is aware that the Ambulance Service is 'looking at reorganising the system'.

Nichola Kennedy, one of seven in the current Kilcullen group who have been there since it was formed, says they have had ’difficulties’ with the HSE about the lack of communication over a long period.

“We have brought the matter to their attention a number of times over the years, and they gave us excuses like ’the system is changing’ or 'there's a problem with the phone'. They even took the phone away at one time to ’try and fix it’ but it made no difference.”

She says there have been what she describes as ’political’ dificulties with the provision of the service. “When the management of the operation was moved from Naas to Dublin we thought things would improve, but they didn’t."

In some cases other CFR groups around the country have published their responder phone number in the hope that they can be contacted directly in an emergency. Nichola says KFR decided not to do that, as it could both lead to calls for non-appropriate emergencies as well as raise insurance issues.

Over the six years up to 50 people trained in cardiac emergency response with the Kilcullen group.

"We're all very disappointed. But at the end of the day it was almost unanimous that there was no point in us carrying around this bag and not getting calls. We were all quite prepared to stay on board if we were getting the calls, but there was no incentive to keep going."

The portable defibrillator equipment used by the group was provided by Kilcullen Lions Club.

 
Click on the ad for details

First Responders seek new members

Kilcullen First Responders are seeking new volunteers for their potentially lifesaving service.

If you live or work in the Kilcullen area, you could train as a responder and deal with sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack or stroke victims, which kill thousands of people eack year at home, in the workplace, or while at leisure activities.

First responder members are trained to provide early intervention in such emergencies, while awaiting the arrival of emergency personnel.

Training by the Eastern Region Ambulance Service includes diagnosis and initial treatment for a range of emergencies, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), relief of choking, and the operation of an automated external defribrillator.

Without early intervention in the case of cardiac arrest, for instance, the chances of long-term survival decline by as much as 10 percent a minute.

If you are interested, contact 087 6791005

Heart collection Sunday

Kilcullen First Responders will be carrying out a church gate collection on behalf of the Irish Heart Foundation at masses in the Kilcullen area on Saturday and Sunday next.

The money raised will be used to train children in CPR skills.

The collection points will be outside church gates in Ballymore, Narraghmore, Crookstown, Kilcullen and Moone, and the Irish Heart Foundation has expressed its thanks to the KFR for their cooperation in Kilcullen.

The collections have full Garda permits.

CPR in CPC

You're never too young to learn how to save a life. And it could be a schoolmate's.



That's one thought behind a series of training in emergency resusitation being offered to Transition Year students at the Cross & Passion College.

In the two-hour sessions, students are told the basics of how to assess and provide first responder service to anyone who suddenly collapses. Then they get first-hand practice in the use of a defibrillator.

The instructors involved in the CPC programme are Esther Kiely and Ann Bathe from Kilcullen First Responders (KFR), with Rob O'Brien of the Ambulance Service, Garret Skerrit --- pictured above demonstrating demonstrating the use of the defibrillator -- and Pat Behan from Calverstown Responders.

Kilcullen Lions Club has supported the purchase of defibrillators for Kilcullen First Responders, and CPC is shortly to purchase its own to have one readily available in the school.

The next sessions will be held on 8 October and the final one on 15 October.

CPC students to learn resucitation

Kilcullen First Responders (KFR), supported by trainers from Calverstown, have offered to conduct Emergency Resuscitation training for transition students in the Cross & Passion College this year.

The first two hour session took place with 27 students last week and it was a great success. All students showed themselves to be very positive and enthusiastic about the programme.

The balance of the students will be trained on successive Wednesdays starting on 1 October and continuing on 8 October and concluding on 15 October.

The training starts at 2pm and concludes at 4pm. It is conducted in the Refectory Hall.

KFR now training their own

Kilcullen First Responders are now training their own trainers and once they have qualified the Responders are considering offering their defibrillator and other medical skills to schools, sports clubs and employers in Kilcullen.

KFR is a completely voluntary group who have been trained in the use of resucitation equipment. Its members operate a rota each week during which a team with the portable defribrillator provided by Kilcullen Lions is never more than three kilometres from the Hideout crossroads.

Brian Byrne.

Community Awards 2007

There was an appreciative audience in The Heritage Centre last evening for the annual Killcullen Community Awards.



Guest of honour was Mayor of Kildare Cllr Mary Glennon, and other public representatives included Sean O Fearghaill TD, Cllr Billy Hillis and Cllr Willie Callaghan.

Kilcullen Community Action chairman Kieron Forde, who opened the proceedings, took the opportunity to remind the public representatives that the town's relations with Kildare County Council needs some help. He noted Kilcullen had slipped placings in the National Tidy Towns Competition this year, and this in part was probably due to the absence of litter control.

"We're not blaming the Council for the litter itself -- that's caused by people in the town and visitors to it," he said. "And we have to try and do more at community level to reduce the amount of litter dropped. But there will be litter, and the Council must play a role in helping to clear it."

He also asked for greater communication between the Council and the community so that there could be some coherence between the activities of both. "On occasions local community improvements have been undone by the Council when carrying out work which we didn't know was coming," he noted.

His comments were acknowledged by Cllr Glennon on her own behalf and for her colleagues present.

The presentation of the local Tidy Towns Awards was the main business of the evening.

The Best Large Estate award was won by Bishop Rogan Park, with particular recognition of the 'obvious community effort' made to bring about improvements in the estate. The Best Small Estate award went to St Brigid's Avenue. The Jerry Kelly Trophy was accepted from Kieron Forde by Bobby Walker (right).

Laurel Wood estate got the award for the Best Green Area, which was described as 'an excellent estate overall' with great landscaping and green areas.

The Landscape Award went to the Main Street Floral Project, with particular appreciation for the work 'up the ladder' by Kieron Forde.

Nolans Victuallers won the Best Business Premises accolade, while Ruby Shoes on The Square won the Most Improved Business Premises.

The Best Commercial Premises for 2007 is the Link Business Park. Nichola Kennedy Optometrist was presented with the Best Window Display award.

The KARE McMahon Centre was judged to have the Best Community/Public Facilities, and the Best Apartments was won by The Courtyard behind Bardons.

Special Commendations were made to Lui na Greine for the effort in getting people together to form a residents association and producing their own newsletter. Another commendation was awarded to Castlemartin Lodge estate which showed 'even further obvious improvement' over last year. Individuals who were given Special Commendations were Eamon McDonnell of St Brigid's Avenue for his work on maintaining the estate, and Peter Mooney from Laurel Wood who has been much to the fore in bringing people together, especially the 'old' and 'new' Kilcullen people.

The special Community Awards for this year were presented by Mayor Mary Glennon.

Jim Kiely received one for his work in the community through the Lions, First Responders, and Kilcullen GAA epecially for the running of the regular discos in the club and providing a badly needed outlet for teenagers in the community.

Alfie Haslam was given an award for his outstanding work in looking after two graveyards in Gormanstown and keeping them in excellent condition over several years.

An award was made to Kilcullen Soccer Club for its service to the community over the last 40 years, now looking after 16 teams and providing a sporting outlet for 180 young people and 36 adults.

The Kilcullen First Responders Unit were given an award for providing a much needed and valuable service in the community. It was accepted by the secretary of the unit, Vivienne Wynne (right).

Brian Byrne was presented with an award for providing a platform for communication between Kilcullen people at home and abroad with the Kilcullen Diary website. (Yes, dear readers, they sandbagged your editor last night! Never knew a thing about it. But I'm very grateful and humbled.)

A slide show of the presentations can be accessed here.

Brian Byrne.

Good turnout to walk

Wonderful autumnal weather brought out some 50 friends and supporters of Kilcullen First Responders to the Sli na Slainte walk in aid of their fundraising endeavours for the Irish Heart Foundation.



Along with members of KFR and their friends was a representative of the IHF, Mary Gamble, regional administrator of the IHF, who is pictured above leading the group as they round the corner of the Dunlavin Road and McGarry's Lane.



Monies collected together with sponsorhip cards to be collected will be forwarded to the IHF during the week.



KFR members would like to thank all those who attended and all those who though unable to attend supported it through the means of subscription and sponsorship.

Des Travers.

Ad: Ford Mondeo

More here

Walk for your heart!

A sponsored walk in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation will be held next Sunday, leaving from the Church Car Park at 2.30pm.

The walk has been organised by Kilcullen First Responders and will be approximately four kilometres long, following the Sli na Slainte route.

The event will take about an hour to complete and is suitable for all the family, even for those travelling in baby buggies.

Kilcullen First Responders (KFR) is a group of volunteers from the community who have been trained to answer emergency first aid calls where an ambulance delay in responding to that call may have adverse consequences.

KFR volunteers have since their establishment in June of 2006 responded to 12 emergency calls in the community. They are trained to administer oxygen, artificial resuscitation and in the case of cardiac arrest to use a defibrillator. The defibrillator diagnoses the patient and if necessary administers a shock so that the heart's rhythm is normalised and the patient survives.

KFR volunteers meet the first Tuesday of each month to conduct refresher training and keep up to date on emergency issues. The group is looking at the feasability of providing defibrillators and training to sports clubs and schools in Kilcullen -- a response to growing concerns about cardiac failure amongst young people.

Brian Byrne.

First Responders seeks volunteers

Kilcullen First Responders will always welcome new volunteers for their potentially lifesaving service.

If you live or work in the Kilcullen area, you could train as a responder and deal with sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack or stroke victims, which kill thousands of people eack year at home, in the workplace, or while at leisure activities.

First responder members are trained to provide early intervention in such emergencies, while awaiting the arrival of emergency personnel.

Training by the Eastern Region Ambulance Service includes diagnosis and initial treatment for a range of emergencies, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), relief of choking, and the operation of an automated external defribrillator.

Without early intervention in the case of cardiac arrest, for instance, the chances of long-term survival decline by as much as 10 percent a minute.

If you are interested, contact 087 9462446; or come along to a meeting on the first Tuesday of every month in the KARE McMahon Centre (old Cross & Passion Convent) at 7.30pm.

Brian Byrne.

First Responders fundraise

A fundraising day for Kilcullen First Responders is being held on Friday 6 October.

Collections will be held during the day outside the main business premises in the town.

KFRs is a completely voluntary group who have been trained in the use of resusitation equipment. Its members operate a rota each week during which a team with the portable defribrillator provided by Kilcullen Lions is never more than three kilometres from the Hideout cross.

Brian Byrne.

The lifesavers are live

You probably won't know they're around. But if you need them, they might just save your life.

The recent official inauguration of the Kilcullen defibrillator team means that there is one more level of help for people who suffer a sudden heart seizure and to whom life's end might be but minutes away without immediate intervention.

There are now 17 fully trained volunteers in the town, who are on a 24/7 roster to respond to a call from the area's Ambulance Service to attend somebody stricken with what might be a cardiac arrest.

When on duty, whether during their working hours or at leisure, the person on roster will have close to them the defibrillator machine bought through the good offices of the Kilcullen Lions Club, and will be able to respond immediately when asked.

Their job is to assess whether and how a stricken person can be helped, either by the administration of oxygen or with the more serious use of a jolt from the defibrillator, pending the arrival of an ambulance team.

"We respond only to the Ambulance Service," team member Des Travers emphasises. "But it means that we can be available to an unwell person much more quickly than the ambulance can get here."

The area served by the team is designated as 'three minutes drive from the traffic lights', and that is the distance -- approximately three kilometres -- within which each team member must be while on roster duty.

"There are some places we don't go," Des Travers notes. "We won't attend a situation in a pub, for instance. Nor are we to go into any situation where we would be exposed to personal danger or attack."

The team has done many hours of training in the use of the equipment, with the help of a simulator machine and a number of special mannequins. And training is ongoing even now after the system has 'gone live'.

"We've had a lot of help from our colleagues in Dunlavin, which must be acknowledged. And quite a number of people living locally who are trained professionals in the rescue services have come along to contribute in a coaching capacity."

The official launch included the presentation of certificates to the team members by the Ambulance Service, in the presence of a number of local and national political representatives, the secretary of Kildare County Council, and officers of the Kilcullen Lions Club which raised the €6,000 required for the defibrillator system and training aids.

"Such has been the response from the community towards being part of this that I'm hopeful we can get another machine soon," Des Travers says.

When a team member is on roster, typically for daytime while at work, or overnight while at home, they must always be available to go into action immediately when contacted on the mobile phone that goes with the equipment set.

"There's no doubt that the duty is an imposition on team members," Des Travers observes. "For instance, if somebody is rostered on a Saturday, with the equipment in their car, their partner can't go shopping in the car unless the team member goes along too. And such shopping is also limited to being in Kilcullen itself, because the responder must be no more than three minutes away."

But if just one life is saved because there was somebody available with a defibrillator, then each and every member of the team will feel that to be more than worth any inconvenience they have experienced.

Brian Byrne.

Defibrillator training meeting

I am coordinating the to-be-formed 'Kilcullen First Responder Unit' (KFRU) volunteers to enable them to respond to an emergency where defibrillator equipment may be required and where time is of the essence.

Our inaugural meeting takes place in the KARE Centre on Monday night 24 April at 7:30 pm. This event is to brief our volunteers about our first training week-end which will take place there on 29-30 April. The two full days plus extra evening training will be undertaken by our volunteers.

The response for volunteers has been tremendous and importantly contains a mix of new and old Kilcullenites. Nevertheless there may be people out there who may not have heard of us and would like to find out what it is all about or indeed who may wish to volunteer.

Anyone who wishes to find out more can come along to our meeting.

Desmond Travers.