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Help us to save Kilkenny lives

by Jimmy Rhatigan

KILKENNY PRESS is today asking readers and friends to help us to save lives in our city.

To help make our city a safer place for us all we are asking local men and women to tell us if they know of the availability of life-saving defibrillators in any stores in any part of our city.

To date the only store we know about is Eurospar. If that is a lone ranger then we are all truly are sitting on a timebomb.

Please let us know if you are sure that a particular business, pub, restaurant, supermarket or indeed any local shopping facility has a defib.

As a voluntary community website, our mission is to help to safeguard the lives of our people.

Your assistance is much appreciated.

Following our story on defibrillators, or, more accurately, the lack of them in our city, Kilkenny Press is desperate to find out if readers know of any life-saving machines in city centre or peripheral businesses.

A sudden heart attack or stroke demands immediate remedial action and if a defib is not available the result may be a family funeral.

The life we help to save may be yours or your nearest and dearest.

Please post names to Jimmy Rhatigan on Facebook or ‘phone 087-1525741.

HEART ATTACK IN A PUB

Following research in St John’s Parish, we came to the conclusion that thanks to the action of community group, Eastern Environs Defib Committee, O’Loughlin Gaels GAA Club and Eurospar Supermarket, the parish has at least seven public defibs.

We highlighted the case of a man who appeared to suffer a heart attack while relaxing with a pint in his local pub.

There was no defib on the premises, Kilkenny Press was told, but following a frantic search locals remembered that there was a machine outside St John’s Church, provided by Eastern Environs.

That defib may have helped to save the man’s life.

The concern now is that there would appear to be little or no activity in the other city parishes of St Patrick’s, St Canice’s and St Mary’s regarding the provision of defibs.

Reality is that family members who go for an amble, a social drink in a local pub or a shopping trip to a local store may be playing Russian Roulette with their lives.

Our investigation is a matter of life and death.

Your support is deeply appreciated.

Jimmy Rhatigan, Editor, Kilkenny Press.

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