Gardai Save Mans Life

donvito99

www.breakingnews.ie. Happened a week ago, I think it deserves to be heard. Just shows what investment can do.


Two armed response gardaí have saved the life of a motorist who had a heart attack while driving, it emerged today.

The elite officers resuscitated the 50-year-old man on the roadside before using a defibrillator to restart his heart.

The gardaí, members of the new Regional Support Unit (RSU), have been commended for their quick actions on a wet and dark night on the main Limerick to Cork road.

The patient, whose anxious wife was by his side during the ordeal, is now undergoing cardiac treatment in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

The specialist RSU is an elite unit of heavily armed gardaí which began patrolling Cork, Kerry and Limerick last month to respond to critical incidents. It is the first of its kind in Ireland.

Superintendent Tom Hayes, who commands the North Cork Area, said the pair were on the N20 on Monday when they spotted a car which had veered into a ditch.

Inside, they found the unconscious and unresponsive driver slumped over the steering wheel showing signs of suffering from cardiac arrest.

Specially trained in first aid, the officers began CPR before using an Automated External Defibrillator which is fitted in each RSU vehicle.

As heavy traffic passed by the defibrillator – which is automated and determines whether a shock should be administered or not – dispensed four shocks until a heartbeat was found.

The gardaí, with the aid of an off-duty nurse, then continued CPR until paramedics arrived.

Supt Hayes said officers will be recognised for their work.

“This is part of their normal duty and we expect them to carry out their duties like they did that night,” he said.

“They were doing their work but obviously, they are delighted that they contributed to saving a life.”

The man, who is still undergoing medical treatment, and his wife have asked not to be named.

Supt Hayes said the incident shows the versatility of gardaí in the unit.

“Not only are they there to respond to critical incidents, they are also trained to respond to other kinds of different incidents like this,” he said.

“They were our first two members to use the equipment, we are delighted it could be used and was successful.”

The same type of defibrillators are carried in district patrol cars in the Blanchardstown area and have been used there in the past.
[Does Karlitosway1978 have any info]

Members of the new RSU – which was piloted in the southern region – patrol as regular gardai but change into RSU mode in the event of a serious incident.

The officers, who drive in a specially adapted Volvo XC70 turbo diesel marked police car, are on call to support other garda units in the event of a critical incident like a hostage situation or armed robbery.

They carry non-lethal and lethal weapons, including Heckler and Koch machine guns and Benelli shotguns, which are kept in a secure box.

Most of the members are aged under 35, and have undergone an intensive 13-week training programme in tactical deployment, conflict resolution, negotiation, entry methods, tactical driving, first aid and the use of less lethal options and firearms.

If successful, the pilot scheme will become permanent and rolled out across the country.

Eru

donvito99 wrote: »

Supt Hayes said officers will be recognised for their work.

“This is part of their normal duty and we expect them to carry out their duties like they did that night,” he said.

Eh, since when has this been part of mandated duties Super?

donvito99 wrote: »

The same type of defibrillators are carried in district patrol cars in the Blanchardstown area and have been used there in the past.
[Does Karlitosway1978 have any info]

Its on trial as far as I know, I dont work there.

timmywex

Aed's have been on trial in blanch and kilkenny for over a year at this stage i think! Surely this will convince them to roll it out a bit further!

TheNog

timmywex wrote: »

Aed's have been on trial in blanch and kilkenny for over a year at this stage i think! Surely this will convince them to roll it out a bit further!

try nearly 2 yrs. I'm nearly sure they were on trial when I was in the college. Anyhoo this is the guards. There will be a trial, then a secondary trial and then an extended trial. Honest to god I sometimes feel that the Depot does forget something is actually on trial!!!

metman

I recently did defib training and have to say they're a cracking piece of kit. Its a shame that they won't be rolled out to every police vehicle...and you can blame the ambulance service for that! On previous trials here the ambulance service were letting police attend jobs in order to save them sending an ambo :rolleyes:

eroo

metman wrote: »

I recently did defib training and have to say they're a cracking piece of kit.

+1

I did a course there a few months ago on Defib/CPR and it is something EVERYBODY should be trained up in, whether a civvie(meself!) or ES. We have Defibs in my college and I feel confident knowing that if someone needs CPR, and then possibly Defib, that I know how to use it. Sure, the thing talks ya though it, even counting compressions when giving CPR!!

Random

from the article wrote:

Specially trained in first aid, the officers began CPR before using an Automated External Defibrillator which is fitted in each RSU vehicle.

Can someone clarify .. this isn't special training these RSU guys get is it? It's the same as what all the other members get? Or is it more detailed?

TheNog

Random wrote: »

Can someone clarify .. this isn't special training these RSU guys get is it? It's the same as what all the other members get? Or is it more detailed?

More detailed. We didn't get any training on the defib at all

deadwood

Good work by those members. Definitely a case for defibs to be carried by all cars or put in each station.

The cynic in me can't help suspect that if this man died in spite of the assistance provided, there would have been a lot more headlines.

Tango Alpha 51

metman wrote: »

I recently did defib training and have to say they're a cracking piece of kit. Its a shame that they won't be rolled out to every police vehicle...and you can blame the ambulance service for that! On previous trials here the ambulance service were letting police attend jobs in order to save them sending an ambo :rolleyes:

Met,
That's harsh. I know from talking to some of my colleagues in the LAS, that their as under resourced as we are. Imagine that in Ireland there is only 93 ambulance stations to cover the whole country. There is only 150 vehicles in the fleet nationally & all of these are not on duty at the same time.Managament on both sides imo would be at fault because I'm sure the Commissioner wouldn't want ye racing around to ambo calls either & it suits the NHS with their ORCON standard to have ye there.

Tango Alpha 51

TheNog wrote: »

More detailed. We didn't get any training on the defib at all

All gardai should be trained on the PAD. Their easy to operate, they don't have rhytmn recognition & all lay people should be able to use them. In saying that, the government needs to put these defibs out in the community

metman

buzzman wrote: »

Met,
That's harsh. I know from talking to some of my colleagues in the LAS, that their as under resourced as we are. Imagine that in Ireland there is only 93 ambulance stations to cover the whole country. There is only 150 vehicles in the fleet nationally & all of these are not on duty at the same time.Managament on both sides imo would be at fault because I'm sure the Commissioner wouldn't want ye racing around to ambo calls either & it suits the NHS with their ORCON standard to have ye there.

Yeah I'm not aiming the criticism at individual crews for whom I have nothing but the utmost respect. But management is management and if they can save a few quid by using the old bill's defibs, they'll do it....no different from the police management in that respect.

Random

TheNog wrote: »

More detailed. We didn't get any training on the defib at all

Another thing to add to the list of "stuff the Garda are serverly lacking in" I guess then.

donvito99

buzzman wrote: »

Met,
That's harsh. I know from talking to some of my colleagues in the LAS, that their as under resourced as we are. Imagine that in Ireland there is only 93 ambulance stations to cover the whole country. There is only 150 vehicles in the fleet nationally & all of these are not on duty at the same time.Managament on both sides imo would be at fault because I'm sure the Commissioner wouldn't want ye racing around to ambo calls either & it suits the NHS with their ORCON standard to have ye there.

Not to mentioned the marked mondeos that are apparently used to get lunch in.The guards would be pretty grateful for a few Mondeos here and there.





Nice light bar.

Tango Alpha 51

donvito99 wrote: »

Not to mentioned the marked mondeos that are apparently used to get lunch in.The guards would be pretty grateful for a few Mondeos here and there.





Nice light bar.

Those cars or identical ones along the marked ford focus estates are allegedly being sent out to stations around the country as rapid response vehicles. It's really does anger me that management (NAS) have these vehicles as well as the marked Santa Fe's & most of the time, they sit in the station doing nothing when we on the ground could put them to good use. One excuse given was that by management using these vehicles including using them as take home cars, that they would be cutting down on mileage expenses :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Inrelation to the lightbar, again allegedly, the Garda Traffic Corp were supposed to be trialing these but the boss of same said they were too dear but hey no expense for the NAS lunch cars

luckat

"Elite" because they have guns? Pfft, in my day guards were supposed to enforce the law "not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people".

Fair play to the lads, though. Very well done.

Eru

luckat wrote: »

"Elite" because they have guns? Pfft, in my day guards were supposed to enforce the law "not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people".

Fair play to the lads, though. Very well done.

And how many criminals respect this moral authority?

Airport

Fair play to the officers involved. Good testament to there training and hopefully will bear well for the future with defibs been issued in all District/Traffic corps cars.

And in my opinion on many occasions the AGS are either the first to respond or come across such incidents and could drastiically improve a patient chance of survival.

____


On a seperate related note, All APS and APFRS response vehicles carry Defibs and thankfully have been used on many occasions successfully to prevent lose of life.

Eru

Airport wrote: »

On a seperate related note, All APS and APFRS response vehicles carry Defibs and thankfully have been used on many occasions successfully to prevent lose of life.

You are more of a combined service though arent you? Correct me if im wrong but isnt airport police also involved in fire and medical?

metman

Airport, are you actually a serving member of the APFRS?

Airport

Hi Karlistos

For several decades the APFRS was an combined service with members rotating there duties between Police And Fire Service, as the aviation industry evolved and both area became more specialised there was decision made after 2004 to permamently seperate both services as an result a small number of rotators were allowed to remain for operational reasons.

The Airport Police Service and Airport Fire & Rescue Service were formed as seperate entities within the DAA organisation. Below is a small descriptions, I have put together on the Dublin Airport Police Service (DAPS)


Policing

The work of the Dublin airports modern police service is varied not only in aspects of general police duties, But Also in community support to passengers and tentant and other airprort users. The Airport Police are tasked to provide a modern aviation police service and deal professionally with all sorts of situations that they are presented with, be they persons in distress,medical or criminal activites.

DAPS has full powers of arrest under authourisation from the minister of transport along with special powers granted through Airport by-laws and criminal justice act. Once a suspect is arrested they can be detained and interviewed by the APS. They will then be handed over to the Gárda Síochána to be processed.

Further prosecution can then be brought by the APS/DAA under the state airport act and other such legislation such as Air And Navigation Act. This can lead to court appearance and if on convictions they can be issued a large fine and or prison time depending on the crime. APO's can also issue on the spot fixed payments notices (FPN's) for issues such as speeding,parking or such contravention of the airport bye laws.

Modern Service

The service consists of trained uniformed police officers and a K9 section along with other support/investigation officers who provide 24-hour cover, responding immediately to incidents and requests for assistance throughout the 2500 acre Airport Campus.

DAPS operates from purpose built facilities in the Airport Operations Centre and from the police station. The Operations Room is equipped with a state of the art CCTV system giving DAPS the capability to monitor and record images from strategically positioned cameras throughout the airport environs including all entrances to and exits from the airport.

DAPS fleet of marked patrol vehicles are fitted with high visibility battenburg markings, which acts as a detterent to criminals and promotes the police services presence in the airport to its users.

Continous improvement

A commitment to continually improving on equipment and techniques coupled with a focus on crime prevention and detection ensures a safe and secure environment for businesses operating within the airport. Which has been a focus over past few years with new modern equipment and training coming online such as Segway personal transport, new operational uniform on trial currently (breathable polo-shirt/t-shirt,combat type trousers,New Hi-Viz bomber jacket, marked APS baseball cap) aswell as new stab vest and tactical patrol vest and also under consideration is the issuing of asp style baton and a incapacitant spray.

Other new equipment in service inculde bomb detector equipement and a mobile command centre are some advanment being made.

__________________________


Metman in response to your question just take it that i am a person with an active interest in this area. Unfortunatly that is all im bound to say. Sorry if this answer does give you full clarity.

Airport

Cheer Up Mate its not so negitave! haha Your Gas that all i can say..

Airport

Your Gas!

Sorry for goin off topic there hope that answers your question karlitosway. Would AGS members be in favour of receiving Emergency First Responder training. I know some stations have had this course ran for them before but its not standard training or has this changed or do yous still only get first aid trng in templemore?

Gavin

A Segway personal transport.. What a waste of money. What sort of training do airport police get?

Eru

Airport,
thats a little too ad like for me. Sounds like it came from a recruitment poster however yes, thank you it did clarify some of my questions.

As for services. I believe airport and harbour police should be disbanded and replaced with AGS actually. Not a jab either service or staff, I just think 1 agency would work better for various reasons.

dredre

And my daddy's bigger than your daddy... please lads, less of the bickering, it doesn't do anyone any good.

eroo

metman wrote: »

Hmm interesting point, how about civvies with nothing of any value to contribute wind their respective neck in, eh dredre?

Easy tiger!;):)

dredre

I'm sorry I didn't get to read your message metman. Thanks eroo for quoting it though. I am sorry for sticking my oar in. It is clearly much better to allow professionals from the Gardai and metropolitan police engage in a slagging match with someone else on their own. It was a mistake of mine to get involved. It seems to be a recurring theme here to restrict debate to serving members. It's a point I've mentioned before. However, if metman and others aren't able to get by without falling back on the 'you aren't serving so you wouldn't know' argument then that is their problem.

I shall continue to stick my oar in when I like. Manners cost nothing.

JonAnderton

My name is Sam Tyler. I had an accident, and I woke up in September 2008. Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time? Whatever's happened, it's like I've landed in an old thread. Now, maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home....

JonAnderton

ie Been here before and there's no need to go over it all again, it's only going to upset people (A lot like the above)...:D

donvito99

I see Colm Meaneys doin' well!

TheNog

I think this thread has run its course.