First outdoor 24-hour defib for Kinnegad

The essence of community was apparent last Saturday week as Kinnegad marked the installation of the town’s first 24-hour outdoor defibrillator. Kinnegad Women’s Shed supplied the new defibrillator, and the Kinnegad First Responders provided the ‘hot box’ that allows the technology to be stored outside.

The device, a lifesaving tool, is available on the side of Serenity House, across from the new library.

At the launch, Geraldine Holmes, chairperson of the Kinnegad Women’s Shed, spoke of the collaborative effort: “We’d just like to thank the Kinnegad First Responders, who provide life saving support. It’s a great honour to be able to donate the defibrillator to the First Responders. I’d also like to thank Cllr Dennis Leonard.

“This is for the entire community, and it’s a useful thing to have. We’re proud to make this available because it can be used day or night. It’s just absolutely brilliant.”

Nicola Spollen, a coordinator with Kinnegad First Responders, explained their involvement: “We work under the National Ambulance Service. We provide life-saving response in our community and we respond to cardiac arrest, stroke, choking and heart attacks.

“Our equipment is really expensive and the Women’s Shed have been so good to donate this AED to us and to our whole community. We provided the heated box, so it’s a joint effort for everybody in our community to use to save lives.”

Nicola said the First Responders need new volunteer members: “We train in Serenity House the second Tuesday of every month and we’re always looking for new volunteers to come and join us.

“It’s free to join and we provide all training, but we always need new responders.”

At the launch, Cllr Dennis Leonard commended all involved: “The First Responders are such an important group and the Women’s Shed are going from strength to strength.

“I want to compliment the Women’s Shed here, Geraldine Holmes, Laura Walsh and Marie Bracken and all their crew, because they’ve done fantastic work in acquiring this defibrillator for the community. And then Nicola Spollen and the First Responders, they’ve done great work here.”

Cllr Leonard said the initiative is an illustration of the community spirit of Kinnegad: “Both groups are fantastic. The First Responders have made the heated box available, so it really is a joint effort. The Community Council provide the electricity and make Serenity House available for their meetings.”

Fundraising efforts have seen the provision of six community defibrillators in the area, but this is the first 24-hour service.