Cork-based Air Ambulance called to nearly 500 emergency incidents in 2020

Cork, Kerry, and Waterford were the counties most likely to require the services of the Cork-based charity

Pilot Tony McAtear, ICRR with Mícheál Sheridan, CEO Irish Community Rapid Response. Picture: Darragh Kane

The Irish Community Rapid Response Air Ambulance was tasked to 490 incidents across 13 counties during 2020, according to the Cork-based charity.

Figures from the Rathcoole-based charity ICRR show last July was the single busiest month, with 59 callouts.

The figures are being released as the charity now has plans to start using a helicopter that can reach almost anywhere in the country.

Road traffic accidents accounted for the most incidents, with a total of 94 taskings throughout the year.

Amongst the other incidents responded to were 81 cardiac arrests, 46 farming accidents, and 29 falls from heights.

While Cork, Kerry, and Waterford were the counties most likely to require its services, the air ambulance also provided support to counties Tipperary, Clare, Wexford, Limerick, Leitrim, Kildare, Kilkenny, Offaly, Roscommon, and Galway.

ICRR Chief Executive Mícheál Sheridan says, “The statistics show the demand that exists for an air ambulance based in the south of the country.

“The ICRR Air Ambulance is airborne in under four minutes of being tasked by the National Ambulance Service.

“It is thirty minutes away from most of the areas within its catchment.

Dozens of lives have been saved as a result of the hard work of the crew, and care administered in a timely manner to hundreds of others. Ireland needs this service.

“This service needs the continuing support of our community fundraisers and corporate supporters”.

The ICRR Air Ambulance can bring casualties to the hospital that best suits their life-saving needs, not just the closest geographically.

From the base in north Cork, the ICRR Charity Air Ambulance can put a 25,000km2 area within 30 minutes of emergency medical care.

It is staffed by advanced paramedics from the National Ambulance Service.

Director of the National Ambulance Service, Martin Dunne, said: “The ICRR Air Ambulance has been a great addition to our emergency response capacity.

“Our dispatch teams have the option of either the Air Corps service from Tullamore or the ICRR service from north Munster.

“This provides much-needed and timely support to our on-road response teams operating across the country.

“Equally, the provision of these services ensures that critically ill patients can be brought to emergency trauma centres faster, which improves the likelihood of a successful outcome.” The ICRR Air Ambulance currently has two helicopters at its medical aerodrome in Rathcoole.

One acts as a backup to the other.

Niall O'Sullivan (second from left) who suffered multiple broken bones and other serious internal injuries in an accident at home, described Air Ambulance staff who helped him that day as "brilliant". Photo: Neil Michael

A new faster helicopter with a longer range capacity is due to be delivered later in the year.

Mr Sheridan added: “We already possess an additional helicopter asset, and we know that there will always be a demand for the service across the country.

“A priority for us in 2021 is to work with other partners to ensure everyone on the island of Ireland is within 30 minutes of an air ambulance service either provided by ICRR or the Irish Aer Corps.” 

Niall O’Sullivan, who was seriously injured in an accident at his home in Dromtariffe, near Rathcoole, was transferred to CUH by the Air Ambulance last July.

"I, like everyone else, had always admired the great work that the ICRR were doing,” he said.

“I suffered multiple broken bones and other serious internal injuries.

“The ambulance personnel and the ICRR staff who tended to me that day were brilliant.

“I was transferred from my home to CUH in minutes.

Having a service like ICRR on our doorstep is fantastic and is so important that it is maintained.

ICRR recently launched its new ‘Further Faster’ campaign to help raise the €1.5 million needed this year to fund the service and its new Air Ambulance helicopter.

The appeal started with our 310,000 steps challenge ‘Marching Through March’ where the public and companies are asked to participate in the challenge and to fundraise.

Full details are available at www.icrr.ie