Defibrillator saves a life in Cootehill

The importance of having ready access to a defibrillator and trained people to use them came into stark focus on a street in Cootehill last December, when a Ballybay man was resuscitated courtesy of a shock being administered to his chest from a defibrillator. Two trained personnel from Cootehill Fire Brigade, Gerry Ellis and Malachi Lennon, were quickly on the scene at Station Road on December 4, when motorist John Murray from Drumhilagh, Ballybay became ill and collapsed when he got out of his car. A quick thinking Noel Ellis rang his father on the occasion to inform him that a man was in difficulty and that they should get to the scene quickly with a defibrillator. Gerry Ellis told The Anglo-Celt this week that the defibrillator is stored at Malachi Lennon's premises and both himself and Malachi picked it up and raced to the scene. The gardaí were already there and Teresa Clinton performed mouth to mouth. Gerry Ellis explained that when they arrived with the defibrillator, the pads were placed on the chest and the machine then informs the users what steps to follow next. It indicated the requirement for shock treatment on this occasion and once that was administered Mr. Murray started to respond a short time later. Dr. O'Hea and a nurse then arrived on the scene and they took over from there and Mr Murray was taken to Cavan General Hospital and was later removed to a Dublin hospital, where he had a number of stents inserted. Gerry Ellis was glad to report this week that Mr. Murray is out and about again and feeling fit and well. The defibrillator was presented to the Fire Service in Cootehill by the president of the Cootehill Pony Club, Mick McCann. It just goes to show the importance of having access to defibrillators in crucial situations, where it could be a matter of life and death.