It’s claimed that making the location of every defibrillator in Clare publicly accessible and available could make a critical difference to emergency response in rural areas.
It follows a new proposal put forward by a government Senator calling for the life saving devices to be plotted on Google Maps.
Between 2012 and 2023, there were 304 cases of defibrillation by members of the public nationwide, with an almost 30 per cent survival rate.
A plan has now been floated by Fine Gael Senator Manus Boyle on the back of a local incident, which could see Google work with the HSE to establish a map showing the location of all defibrillators in the country.
First Aid Instructor Carol Murphy, who’s previously volunteered with Cooraclare GAA Club, believes while the idea is a good one, the lack of legislation around the devices would lead to complications.
One organisation in West Clare has already been taking a proactive approach on the matter for some time.
Since 2023, the Kilmurry Ibrickane Defibrillator Community Group has been linked up with the National Ambulance Service to receive immediate alerts, if someone in the locality suffers a cardiac arrest or choking incident.
Treasurer Tracy Murray says while the proposal could make a vital difference to emergency response times, particularly with the lack of ambulances in West Clare, there could be challenges maintaining the equipment.
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