Baltinglassshop backsinitiative foradefibat everyEurospar
EUROSPAR Baltinglass is backing a new community-driven initiative which aims to provide a life-saving defibrillator outside their store and every other Eurospar supermarket in the country.
The defibrillator at every Eurospar Supermarket initiative will raise funds for the installation of a publicly accessible, automatic external defibrillator (AED) to be located outside of the Eurospar supermarket. Funds will be raised through in-store collection, community fund-raising activities and contributions from the sale of a selection of SPAR Range products.
William Quinn is delighted to launch the campaign in Baltinglass.
He said that ‘ having a lifesaving defibrillator outside our store and making everyone aware of it will hopefully result in saving lives in this community.
‘I hope you will join with our team here at Eurospar Baltinglass in order to raise the funds needed to buy a defibrillator for our area.’
Last year, Quinns celebrated 80 years of business in Baltinglass, where they first established a business on the Main Street back in 1936.
Earlier this year, Eurospar Baltinglass was presented with a prestigious Customer First award at the annual Eurospar Guild.
RTÉ’s Michael Lyster was on hand to help launch the new initiative at the Radisson Blu St. Helen’s Hotel in Dublin with Malachy Hanberry, Eurospar Managing Director and David Menzies, Co Chair and Medical Director, Cardiac First Responders Ireland.
Michael suffered a cardiac arrest in 2015 and had to be resuscitated by the National Ambulance Service using a defibrillator, so he fully understands the importance of publicly accessible defibrillators in our communities.
‘I’m delighted to help launch the Defibrillator at every Eurospar Supermarket initiative as this equipment can really mean the difference between life and death.
‘Having a defibrillator in a public space raises the profile of heart disease and ensures that people know where to find one when an emergency occurs. I look forward to the day when each Eurospar has a defibrillator in place,’ he said.
When a heart stops beating from cardiac arrest every second counts. The chances of recovery are reduced by 7 pert cent to 10 per cent after each 60 seconds. Effective CPR coupled with the use of a defibrillator within the first 3 to 5 minutes of cardiac arrest can produce survival rates in the 49 per cent to 75 per cent range.
Eurospar in partnership with CFR Ireland will provide ‘chain of survival’ awareness and CPR training in the local Baltinglass community, and will also train retailers and staff members. This training and awareness will be carried out by local Community First Responders to coincide with the installation of the AED at local the store.
The AED will be automated to produce a report tracking the status of the machine and highlighting any issues on a daily basis. The AED will also be registered on the National Ambulance Service (NAS), CFR Ireland and other local defibrillator databases.