Woman had no idea where Tullamore defibrillators were located for ill father
This lady was very concerned, nobody seemed to know where they were,'' said Cllr Smollen
A woman whose father had become ill in Tullamore and needed a defibrillator had no idea where they were or how she could access one, the March meeting of Tullamore Municipal District heard.
Councillor Sandy Smollen said the lady had contacted her with her concerns. In Clara ''we have people who look after the defibrillators and fundraise and make sure they are checked and repaired. There are people in the area with knowledge of where they are based and how to access them.''
Responding, Killian O'Brien of Offaly County Council said that the responsibility usually rests with community groups, or first responder groups. ''The council usually have no involvement, bar putting up hooks for them to be mounted on.'' he said.
Councillor Smollen said ''this lady was very concerned, nobody seemed to know where they were. It might be something for us to consider because we just never know,'' she said.
Councillor Frank Moran who works with the HSE said that if people dial 999 there is a location map for where the defibrillators are located on the CAD ( computer aided dispatch) system that the ambulance service use. He also said that all the fire appliances would have defibrillators and a person would be trained up to use them.
There are a number of defibrillators in Tullamore, in O'Connor Square, the grounds of the Church of the Assumption, the Tullamore Men's Shed have another.