Gardaí use charity defibrillator to save man's life in Cork city centre

Gardaí found the man in an unresponsive and unconscious state on Oliver Plunkett Street at around 8pm on Saturday. File Picture

Gardaí helped resuscitate a man whose heart stopped close to Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork City last Saturday night.

While on routine patrol at around 8pm on Saturday, officers from Anglesea Street Garda Station were alerted to a man in an unconscious and unresponsive state close to Oliver Plunkett Street in the city centre.

Upon arriving, gardaí used both CPR and the automated external defibrillator (AED) outside the nearby Penneys store to resuscitate him.

After he had regained consciousness, the officers waited with the man until an ambulance arrived at the scene a short time later.

Once the man had received initial treatment from the paramedics, he was taken to Mercy University Hospital in Cork where his condition is now described as stable.

The publically accessible defibrillator unit on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork installed and maintained by Cork Lions Club. Picture: Larry Cummins

The Defibrillator used by the gardaí was one of the 14 machines put in place around the city by the Cork Lions Club charity and Cork City Centre Defibrillator Project.

The Cork City Centre Defibrillator Project said the pads on the machine located outside Penneys have now been changed, in advance of any other incident in which it may be required.

"Glad to report that our AED at Penneys was successfully used last night to resuscitate an individual whose heart had stopped," the charity wrote in a Facebook post.

"Thanks to the Gardaí who accessed the AED and brought the person back.

"This is the reason why Cork Lions Club, with the public's support, has fundraised to put these AEDs in place. Thank you for your support."