Longford Cardiac First Responders install defibrillator at Longford Garda Station

On Thursday, January 23, Longford Community Cardiac First Responders erected their first defibrillator in Longford town. It is erected outside Longford Garda Station on the Battery Road.

There will be five more distributed in and around Longford areas for public use in case of emergencies for anyone suffering with cardiac arrest.

Longford Community Cardiac First Responders were delighted to receive funding from CLÁR and used some of this funding to purchase the defibrillators and cabinets to be distributed in and around Longford town and surrounding areas where they are most needed.

Longford Community Cardiac First Responders would like to thank CLÁR for this donation and it was gratefully appreciated.

Also, the local Gardaí, especially Sgt Declan McGlynn, for all their help with placing the defibrillator outside local Garda station in Longford and to thank them all for all the good work they do in the Longford region.

A special thank you to Cllr Micheál Carrigy for all the help he gave the team and secretary Michelle Gettings with CLÁR and a table quiz night in Tally Ho Bar in Longford to make up short fall to purchase the defibrillator for Longford.

“Cllr Micheál Carrigy has been a real inspiration to us and is always ready to help us no matter how busy his schedule is. He is an extremely wonderful man,” says chairperson Tia Anderson.

We would like to thank all who turned up for our event Fr James McKiernan, Longford Leader photographer, Fergus Reynolds from Men’s Shed in Longford who are helping us erect the defibrillators in Longford.

Also Martin Mallon, chairperson of Men’s Shed and Tommy Dolan treasurer in Men’s Shed Longford.

We would also like to thank Mr Ger O'Dee from National Ambulance Service and community engagement officer for North Leinster region who attended on the day and for his input and a very big thanks for all of our team of first responders that attended also and all the local people.

We were delighted with the turn out on the day and delighted that the people in Longford and surrounding areas will have quick access to the nearest defibrillator to them to help in saving someone's life.

“It is truly a great day for Longford and surrounding areas. We look forward to getting the funds to purchase even more defibrillators in the near future,” says chairperson Tia Anderson.

“Our plan for the future is to put an App up on facebook so every member of the public can go to this App and find the nearest defibrillator nearest them.

“As a lot of shops and places have defibrillators but there are lot of these not accessable to the public after closing time.”

The members of Longford Community First Responders are preparing this App at the moment and when all the defibrillators are erected in and around Longford, the App will be put up online to help everyone locate defibrillator nearest them.

Hopefully this will help quick access to saving someone's life. On behlaf of Longford Community Cardiac First Responders we would like to say keep safe be seen, stay alive to everyone out there.

We are looking for volunteers for Longford Community Cardiac First Responders contact Tia on 086 0603875.

PICTURED: Fr James McKiernan, Chair Tia Anderson, Dorothy and Petua Neary, Sgt Declan McGlynn, Ger O'Dea, Fergus Reynolds (Men's Shed), Anthony Owens, Patricia Kelleher, Freda Farrell, Tony Baxter, Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Micheál Carrigy, Peter McVeigh, Darina Owens, Jennifer Gill, Kay Furey installing Longford Community Cardiac First Responders first defibrillator at Longford Garda Station last week Picture: Shelley Corcoran