Group poised to save lives

Potential delays in ambulances reaching remote parts of the county prompted one community to come up with their own solution.

Corlough Community First Responders was established to train locals to deal with emergency situations in the area, providing assistance until the arrival of an ambulance with trained paramedics on board.

Founding member Agnes Dulake explains they got the idea from a similar scheme in a nearby parish.

“We live in a beautiful part of the country,” says Agnes who also works as a nurse in Cavan General Hospital.

“But it’s very isolated and, if something was to go wrong, we are very vulnerable. Ambulance services are stretched and there can be a delay involved in them getting to us.

“Aughnasheelin in Leitrim set up a similar programme. I went to a meeting they were having and thought we needed something similar in our area. Liam Stewart from the National Ambulance Service, who is also from Shercock, was at the meeting and he helped us to set it up locally,” she outlined.

There was a great response from locals in Corlough who were keen to get involved, with a large portion of them living and working in the area, enabling them to respond quickly to any call out.

“We’re covering an 8km radius from Corlough Community Centre. Twenty-nine people from the Corlough/Templeport area joined up and are undergoing training. We will go live during the summer. We’re affiliated with the National Ambulance Service and, when they get a call in our area, we get a text message; and, if we can attend, we do. Although I live in Corlough, I work in Cavan, so I can’t get to them all, but other people work within the parish and will be able to attend more emergencies.”

Agnes explains that the group works alongside the ambulance service, providing care until paramedics arrive. “We cover stroke, choking, chest pain, and cardiac arrest. What we do doesn’t slow down the ambulance coming, it means that someone can deliver good quality care while the ambulance is on the way. In a situation where someone is suffering from cardiac arrest, all you can do is help.”

While Agnes looks after the administrative side of the group, training is provided by her husband Les Dulake and local woman Elaine Osborne who are also both nurses. Agnes says the nursing background gives them invaluable experience in terms of what it’s like to be in an emergency situation.

“We’re both nurses, we know what it is like to have people waiting for help in a vulnerable situation. The difference having someone on the ground who knows what they’re doing is incredible, it can make a huge difference.”

While it can be expensive to buy the equipment to do their duty, Agnes says they were lucky that there was already gear in the area and local groups also came on board to raise much-needed funds.

“There were already defibrillators at the school and the GAA club. We were able to take over the ownership and maintenance of these. We also had to buy mannequins and dummy defibrillators for the training, but Corlough Football Club ran a fundraiser on St Stephen's Day and gave us the proceeds, which we were very thankful for. Sandy Holland in the Cavan County Local Development also helped us to apply for grants and funding, which was a big help.”

Agnes concluded by saying she would encourage all communities to set up a similar scheme, as it could help save a life.

“We’d love to see it rolled out further, it can only be a benefit.

“Even in a town, ambulances could be gone out on a call. People don’t know until they’re in the situation. It may not be successful but it’s important to give people the best chance. I’d like to think, if I’m in that situation, that I’m in the best hands possible.”