TWO new ambulances serving Irish Red Cross branches in West Cork are set to provide a huge boost to local patient services.
The new Community First Responder vehicles will serve the Bantry and Dunmanway-Inchigeela branches of the Irish Red Cross.
The two Irish Red Cross branches were awarded €400,000 towards the vehicle purchases through Clár funding, which focuses on helping rural communities thrive, on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Irish Red Cross ambulances are used to provide community support and first aid response at events throughout the county.
Volunteers from Bantry and from Dunmanway-Inchigeela provided first aid support and ambulance cover at almost 90 events in 2023.
The new vehicles will be on the road in 2025 and will provide a more comfortable experience for the patients and require less manual lifting for the volunteer crew.
‘We know that first aid when given quickly and effectively results in a better outcome for the person. That’s why it’s fundamental that we equip our volunteer teams with the quality equipment they need to respond in an emergency and support pre-hospital care,’ said Irish Red Cross secretary general Deirdre Garvey.
‘This investment in community first responder vehicles is a great boost for disaster preparedness, emergency response and the health of our rural communities.
‘We are delighted to see Irish Red Cross volunteers empowered to act locally and support better outcomes for communities.’
Samantha Payne-Murphy and Ger Donovan, of the Bantry branch, in one of the new ambulances. (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan)
