Local voluntary first responder group seeks funding from Limerick council

ADARE Community First Responders (CFR) are seeking funding for general running costs to help continue the work they do in the community.

Chairman of Adare CFR Kevin Cribbin along with Clinical Director of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) Professor Cathal O’Donnell made a presentation at the monthly meeting of the Municipal District of Adare/Rathkeale this Tuesday morning.

Adare CFR is affiliated with the National Ambulance Service. CFRs are volunteers who are trained to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work. The aim is for volunteers to reach a potential life-threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives.

There are currently 12 members of Adare CFR with six of these trained and active responders and there is an average of one call every ten days.

The group are looking to have two more public access automated external defibrillators (AEDs) installed on the N21 as you approach Adare village due to traffic congestion in the area.

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According to Mr Cribbin, the group requires funding from Limerick City and County Council as the days of church gate collections and raffles are “over”.

“There just aren’t as many people going to Mass anymore. Before one church gate collection could guarantee €1,500 now you’re lucky to get €200. A pub quiz could generate that amount but we can only do that once really,” Mr Cribbin said.

The main costs revolve around the AEDs. New machines cost between €1,500 to €1,600, storage cabinets cost €600 and insurance, service charges, meeting room, batteries, pads and consumables cost the group around €2,500 per year.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Kevin Sheahan suggested that each councillor should allocate €500 from their General Municipal Allowance to the CFR group which would cover annual running costs.

It was reiterated throughout the meeting that the group are a much-needed facility in the area and that the issue should be brought to a full council meeting as there are over ten CFR groups throughout Limerick city and county in need of funding.