Volunteer group sets up lifesaving system

THE loss of life through heart attacks and the fact that no ambulance is based in a Co Cork community has prompted a voluntary group to setup a unique lifesaving programme.

The group, called Great Island Trust First Responders, has been equipped with five defibrillators and has trained 32 people to use them in the greater Cobh area, which has a population of 15,000.

They have just started a rota on-call system with three of the defibrillators, and two local cab companies have agreed to keep two of the machines themselves and transport them free to any emergency situation.