Fianna Fail Councillor Aiden Fitzpatrick initiates defibrillator registration. From left: Councillors Madeleine Argue, FG; Paddy McDonald, SF; Philip Brady, FF; and Liam Stewart, National Ambulance Service; Councillors Patricia Walsh, FF; Aiden Fitzpatrick, FF; Trevor Smith, FG; Clifford Kelly, FF; Áine Smith, FF; John Donohoe, Senior Executive Officer and Cllr Peter McVitty, FG.photo: Sean McMahon

Matter of life or death

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Registering defibrillators around the county could save lives.

This was the opinion of Fianna Fáil Councillor Aiden Fitzpatrick while raising a motion at a recent meeting of Cavan County Council.

The Cootehill man urged members of the council to make a defibrillator registration available on the county council website in order to make the process easier for communities across the county.

He believes that the registration of AED machines would allow the National Ambulance Service to direct those in need to their closest defibrillator upon calling emergency services.

“They could then say - okay there’s a defib down the road and this is the access code.”

Cllr Fitzpatrick also stated those who register a defibrillator should receive an email reminder to change the battery and pads.

According to Cllr Fitzpatrick, 2500 people suffered a heart attack last year, 150 of whom survived. He believes by registering more defibrillators, the number of survivors could be increased.

Fine Gael Councillor Carmel Brady voiced her support for the motion. She referenced an incident in Galway recently where a defibrillator had been sourced to aid a person following a heart attack, however the battery of the machine was flat.

Sinn Féin’s Paddy McDonald stated that all defibrillators can be accessed without the access code by “breaking the glass”, before sharing his agreement with the motion.

Fianna Fáil Councillors Philip Brady, Clifford Kelly, Patricia Walsh also supported the motion, as did Cllr TP O’Reilly (FG).

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