ON Sunday, April 24, the Cardiac First Responders (CFR) service for Tramore was relaunched by the Order of Malta. The service is a crucial one for the area as it means trained responders will attend to an emergency until such time as the ambulance service can reach the scene. Full training is ongoing in the Order of Malta on Pond Road, and on April 24, certificates were awarded to those who have completed full training and are in a position to respond to a call based on a rota system, managed in-house via new software.
The request for a first responder is dispatched at the same time as the National Ambulance Service, as soon as a 999 or 112 call is received. The close proximity of the Cardiac First Responders means they play a vital and life-saving role in stabilising the patient and providing appropriate care until the ambulance arrives. The relaunch of the scheme will see the aim of 24/7 assistance available for those who need emergency medical assistance.
Necessary measures during the pandemic saw the scheme scaled back across the country. The relaunch of the Tramore service will mean the difference between life and death for many people. In recent times, 12 new members were welcomed and trained in the Tramore CFR unit and the growing number of volunteers is a considerable asset to the community.
Public support
Co-ordinator of the Cardiac First Responders unit in Tramore, Clodagh Murphy is the driving force behind the new rostering app and the Facebook page, which has been dealing with a large volume of queries from those wishing to become involved.
She said: “Instead of using Whatsapp or pen and paper, Bizimply have sponsored our rostering system and it allows us to have the schedules on an app for the first time. We have two Facebook pages running at the moment, one is the main Order of Malta, Tramore page and one is specifically for the CFR scheme just to give people an idea of how busy it actually is. The aim of the programme is that because we all live so locally and closely, that we can get there before the National Ambulance Service and we can perform that lifesaving treatment. The aim is to provide 24/7 care and with enough volunteers, we can do that. The training takes place across two weekends and it allows you to receive a cardiac first responder qualification and after that a PPE assessment is conducted.”
Receiving a certificate on the day was Larry Breen who was involved in the Order of Malta when he was younger. Having moved back following an extended spell abroad, he knew that he wanted to be involved.
“We are qualified to get on-site and do what we can to help people. The most important thing for us is getting there as quickly as possible, time is of the essence and we are there for that. We are giving the National Ambulance Service and the patient a fighting chance because we all know they are stretched to capacity. Knowing that we here in the community is a comfort to so many people. A number of years ago, I had a cardiac event myself and I was lying there waiting for the ambulance to come, every minute is vital.”
Goals
Both short-term and long-term goals have been established, including compiling a list of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) located within the community, and ensuring that they are registered with the National Emergency Operations Centre. A more ambitious but critically important long-term goal has been established, that of installing an AED in every housing estate in Tramore. At present, the service is completely funded by the community, there are no government grants awarded, and all volunteers use their own vehicles and their own fuel. Each time an AED is used, it costs €90 for a set of single-use pads and so with both the long-term and short-term goals in mind, a major increase in calls for financial assistance from businesses and locals will be underway shortly.
Recent cardiac incident
During the month of April, Tramore CFR responded to seven calls for assistance ranging from cardiac arrests, to chest pain, and stroke calls. In one instance, the life-saving care was delivered on the side of the road by Garda Caitlin Kelly from Tramore Garda Station. Speaking to the Waterford News & Star about that her actions on that day, she said: “I was driving down the Old Waterford Road towards Tivoli Terrace and I noticed a male lying on the road, he had blood coming from his head and I immediately parked the car.”
Garda Kelly very quickly realised that the male did not have a pulse and she radioed for assistance from her unit. While waiting for assistance, she immediately began administering compressions and CPR as per her first aid training.
“When the ambulance service came, they took over and the defibrillator was utilised as well, just before the ambulance came, so myself, a member of the local Coast Guard and a local doctor got the defibrillator up and running. The male has since made a good recovery, he is up and walking and he is at home. I suppose it was a case of right place, right time but the skills the Cardiac First Responders are bringing to Tramore as a community are essential. The more people we have that are trained, the more people we can reach as a community.”
Keith Comerford from Waterford Fire Service recently stepped down from the Order of Malta after 30 years’ service, and in his time with the Order of Malta he witnessed the original creation of the Community First Responders scheme in Tramore.
“In 2009 the officer in charge was Elaine Piper and I helped her to set it up. It started slowly and as the years went on, it progressed from not just cardiac arrests but breathing difficulties, chest pains and it became busy. It isn’t just one or two people involved but it was a whole team involved to get it running and keep it running. The more people we have available to be on the scene, the easier it is to deal with calls and to be able to deliver that level of care.”
If you have a willing pair of hands and you can offer a small amount of your time, you are asked to contact the Order of Malta, Tramore Facebook page, Instagram account, or the Tramore Cardiac First Responder’s Facebook page in order to speak with someone about this.
