A new Community First Responder (CFR) group has been established in Douglas in Cork and has responded to 25 incidents during their first four weeks in operation. A team of eight people are now volunteering with CRITICAL charity responding to cardiac arrests and other life-threatening emergencies.
The fully-trained volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds including healthcare, the emergency services, business, and retirees.
They went live on the 19th of December 2025 and are alerted by the National Ambulance Service to cardiac arrests, heart attacks, strokes and choking incidents in Douglas and surrounding areas including Farmer’s Cross, Frankfield, Rochestown, Moneygurney and Ballinlough.
Alan Barry is co-ordinator of the Douglas CFR group, he said, “Douglas is a large area with a population of 40,000 people. Our team is living here, they are active in their local communities and are committed to responding to people when they need us most. CRITICAL charity has provided us with the best of equipment to be able to care for people in their darkest moments. We are very grateful for their support and the support of the National Ambulance Service.”
David Tighe, CEO of CRITICAL charity added, “When a medical emergency happens, minutes can feel like hours. Community First Responder groups ensure that help comes from nearby, from a neighbour, colleague or someone who knows the community and cares about it. These volunteers bring compassion, reassurance and life-saving care to people when they are most vulnerable. The CRITICAL CFR Douglas group is an important addition to our network of responders across the country and they are already making a real difference to their local communities.”
Ger O’Dea, National Community Engagement Manager with the National Ambulance Service, said, “The National Ambulance Service Community First Response network is now in its 21 st year of operation. We have seen the network grow from strength to strength over the years, and have seen many lives saved as a result of the great work done by our dedicated volunteers. Working alongside charities such as CRITICAL has helped us to enhance our capabilities in communities across Ireland, and we are delighted to further our collaboration with the charity to establish Douglas CFR, another valuable link in The Chain of Survival”.
CRITICAL has a network of more than 300 volunteer responders active across Ireland who are affiliated with the National Ambulance Service. This includes doctors and consultants equipped with emergency response vehicles and high-tech equipment; community first responder (CFR) groups; as well off-duty paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
They responded to over 2,000 calls during 2025. They are notified by the National Ambulance Service and communicate closely with the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) while on scene.