A unique new lifesaving 24/7, 365 days of the year publicly accessible heart defibrillator was unveiled in Castlewellan just before Christmas.
This was only the fifth public defibrillator to be installed in the Northern Ireland. However, unlike the other four, this is the first of its kind ever to be housed externally in a wall mounted cabinet, located outside beside the ATM machine at the Fresh Food Centre store on the Dublin Road in Castlewellan.
The lifesaving equipment has been made possible by a hugely successful fundraising campaign spearheaded by the local volunteer Donard Fundraising Group in partnership with Fresh Food Centre.
The Donard Fundraising Group’s chairman Paul Madden said: “This lifesaving machine is available to anyone in the local community needing it in the event of a sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergency. Our Group is particularly grateful to the 28 local people who have recently completed the essential Red Cross life support, CPR and AED defibrillator training course.
“As it is crucial that local people know how to use the town’s public defibrillator, give CPR and administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation – these are the critical skills which will also assist and help to save a life.
“If the defibrillator helps save one life, it is worth having. The Donard Fundraising Group is working on other public heart defibrillator projects, specially for Newcastle and Dundrum, and will be extending their initiative to as many other towns and villages as possible”.
The group’s publicity offocer Jacqui Mason added: “Castlewellan’s unprecedented public defibrillator in a cabinet has been secured and installed much more quickly than expected, due to the incredible fundraising support we have especially received from the proprietors from Fresh Food Centre, as well as from Josie McEvoy (proprietor of TJ’s Jems, Castlewellan) and the local general public – all of whom we are extremely grateful to.
“The town and community now have the equipment and trained people to really make a difference if faced with a life-threatening cardiac event”.
Paula Powell from the Red Cross stressed the importance of local people being trained to use the defibrillator and said: “Of Course while the defibrillator is key, the other vital component has been the first aid training as this is what gives ordinary people, rather than medical professionals, the confidence to act when facing an emergency situation.”
John McPoland from the NI Ambulance Service (NIAS) also indicated the support the service’s call handlers provide. He said: “From the moment a member of the local public is connected to the NI Ambulance Service our staff are there to support them, during a cardiac emergency.
“As well as enabling a caller to release the defibrillator we will simultaneously mobilise an ambulance and paramedics to the scene and will remain on the line to support the first aid intervention.”
The Castlewellan community defibrillator can be released from its external cabinet by calling 999 and obtaining an access code from the NI Ambulance Service.
The Donard Fundraising Group can be contacted via its Facebook page, telephone 07599 809280 or email:
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Pictured (from left back) at the unveiling of the 24/7 public heart defibrillator in Castlewellan were Fresh Food Centre representatives Conor Devlin, Jonathan Cantley, Michael Johnston, Martin O’Higgins and Brendan Mulholland; with local businesswoman Josie McEvoy (TJ’s Jems), and Donard Fundraising Group volunteers Roisin Kelly, Paul Madden, Shauna Goodall, Micheala Owens, Caitlin Mussen, Jacqui Mason and Alice Anderson, and Red Cross officials Paula Powell and Jock McGowan.[/caption]]]>
