COMMUNITY FIRST RESPONDERS ARE HIT WITH CAR INSURANCE HIKE

A NUMBER of insurance companies are applying a levy to Community First Responders (CFR) of as much of 20 per cent.

It emerged last week that some insurers are loading the motor insurance for CFR volunteers in the community who save the lives of their patients.

‘CFR Ireland is speaking to the insurance companies to see what can be done,’ said John Hopkins, coordinator of Kilmacanogue CFR who is also an instructor and trainer around the county.

While he personally does not have an extra payment in his insurance, he said that in Kilmacanogue alone up to five of the volunteers are subject to the loading.

‘It puts responders under undue pressure and makes it less attractive to volunteer to those who are prepared to answer that call and help their neighbour.’

He said that the volunteers out on the road might only be going around the corner and would not have a high volume of calls during a 12-month period.

There are over 20 Cardiac First Responder groups in Wicklow alone, responding to cardiac arrest and similar emergencies. Their aim is to arrive and begin treatment immediately until paramedics arrive on the scene to take over.

‘This needs to be stamped out now,’ said John. ‘We’re not allowed to break the rules of the road and we’re not going to jeopardise our own cars and our own lives getting to a scene.

‘Are the retained fire brigade penalised for using their own cars to get to the fire station? That’ll be the next one.

‘We’re just joe soap people, giving back to our communities,’ said John.

Co-chair of Community First Responders Ireland is Dunlavin-based John Fitzgerald, who said that first responders are law-abiding people who follow the rules of the road.

He said that they must have a full licence and are not permitted any privileges.

‘A lot of them are based in rural areas with call rates that are quite low,’ he said. In Dunlavin there are 16 people on the roster and a call rate of 16 to 22 per year. ‘ The average call rate is about 1.5 per year and they want to charge us for going to help a neighbour.’

Aviva has been in talks with CFR and has posed the possibilities of members doing a training programme to ultimately get a discount, Mr Fitzgerald said that the cost of around €800 per person is prohibitive.

The drivers are fully qualified and are not entitled to use their phones, break the speed limit, or anything else out of the ordinary.

‘The normal law of the land applies to us in any case,’ he said. ‘We fundraise for everything ourselves with a little help from the HSE and local county councils. Now we’re being asked to go back to the community and look for €800 per member to do an advanced driving course. I don’t think it’s fair.’

In a statement, the body said that CFR schemes have been in operation with the National Ambulance Service for over 10 years in Ireland. ‘We are not aware of any incidents where there has been a driving incident involving a CFR en-route to a call.

‘CFR Ireland is actively working with a number of insurers to identify a solution, which will allow CFRs to continue saving lives.’