Public access defibrillator now located in St Colman's thanks to fundraising efforts

St Colman’s NS is delighted to inform the school community and residents of the extended local area that a public access defibrillator has been installed in a prominent and accessible location at the main school door following a fundraising effort that started earlier in this academic year. Principal Mr Beehan is keen to publicise the fact that the life-saving equipment is for the entire community.

The seed for the project was sown when volunteers David Stafford and his team from Mullingar First Responders visited the school over the course of a week to provide basic first aid training to all students in the school at the request of Mrs Walters. The Students Council subsequently held a Halloween Dress-up fundraiser raising €524.35 as a thank-you gesture for the First Responders team, but the team, on hearing of Mrs Walters’ goal of securing a defibrillator for the school, gifted the money to kick-start fundraising efforts. The Lunch Bag, the company that provides daily hot lunches to the children of St Colman’s, on hearing of the campaign, offered a further donation, which made the purchase of the defibrillator possible.

On the advice of Mullingar First Responders, the defibrillator is a public access one located outside the main school door in a well lit, accessible and CCTV monitored location for use by residents of the extended local area in the event of a person suffering a sudden life-threatening incident.

Members of staff in St Colman’s have been trained in how to use the defibrillator and Mullingar First Responders will be returning to provide further training including to sixth class students.

Mr Beehan and Mrs Walters have expressed their delight that the equipment is now installed and thanked the donors who made it possible.