New north Longford Community First Responders group can 'further galvanise' rural area

Lisryan and its surrounding areas has always shone a light as an immersive community with its members always ready to get involved, promote and nurture the local area and give a helping hand.

The area has hosted many fun and successful events and has developed a welcoming park and a well maintained “Tidy towns” setting.

This was largely led by the hard working committee of “Lisryan Tidy Village.”

Through this committee, a seed of an idea was proposed in further galvanising the rural area by the establishment of a group of community first responders.

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An expression of interest was put out to community members and as always, the local residents responded.

Community First Responders (CFR) are volunteers who are trained to a minimum level of basic life support in CPR and the use of an AED/defibrillator, who attends a potentially life threatening emergency such as a cardiac arrest, heart attack, stroke or choking.

Their aim is to reach a potential life threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives.

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Their role is to help stabilise the patient and provide the appropriate care including CPR & defibrillation while awaiting the arrival of the more highly skilled ambulance crew.

Following the expression of interest, those who responded attended an information evening with the National Ambulance Service Community Engagement Officer.

The volunteers also linked in with Yvonne Leslie, the leader of the North Longford Community Responders Scheme.

As a result of the advice and information received, a committee was formed and the fledgling Lisryan Community First Responders group of 15 volunteers was established.

The group are in the process of completing all necessary training and development.

The North Longford Community Responders Scheme has been invaluable in providing advice, information and support on the set up of the group as well as hands-on training, registered under PHECC and the Irish Heart Foundation.

The volunteers have come from all walks of life with the one common interest of giving something back to the community and being available to support should a crisis arise.

The group has given up their time, voluntarily to train and to commit to being responsive to calls, should they come in.

The intention for the group is to register with the National Ambulance Service and be a live, responsive group once the set-up is complete.

The group will respond to emergencies arising within a defined radius in the locality.

The group have access to five public access defibrillators in the catchment area.

In order to function fully, it is vital that the group are able to maintain the current available public access defibrillators and the PPE required with each one, as well as boost numbers of available AEDs in the locality.

In order to do this and to raise awareness of the Lisryan Community First Responders Group, the volunteers are completing a climb in September 2025 and welcome any other willing participants.

It will prove to be a great day out as well as a great opportunity to showcase the latest showing of goodwill from the residents of Lisryan community and surrounding areas.