The Balbriggan Chain of Survival is a programme managing multiple projects for emergency volunteer responders within the community of Balbriggan. The purpose of each project is to reduce avoidable fatalities.

CRITICAL Balbriggan Community Responders is a project that is now separately run and managed by the esteemed charity CRITICAL https://criticalcharity.ie/. Volunteers from Balbriggan have undergone online training, Garda vetting and are now in the process of their practical training with a vision of launching mid-2025. As a CRITICAL Balbriggan Community Responder, we will be an extension to the National Ambulance Service, and will be actively responding to emergency dispatch calls for heath attack, cardiac arrest, stroke and choking incidents.

According to the Irish Heart Foundation, over 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur at the home. The COMMUNITY HEARTS project is in partnership with Smart Medical and Re-turn as a national pilot for residential defibrillators being installed, enabling residents to be within 3-5 minutes, or, 400-500 metres of their closest accessible defibrillator. The overall ambition of the project is to have 24/7 AED coverage for 95% of Balbriggan’s population.

Orange Bins are placed all across Balbriggan to collect returnable bottles and cans to raise the required funds for the COMMUNITY HEARTS project. In addition to residential defibrillator instalations, an installation has been carried out at Bracken Cabs, open 24/7 to the public, and an ideal location with both residential and commercial activity being 24/7 in that area. Westbrook Grove, Clonard Street, Tara Court residential installations are complete, with Clonard Court, Tara Cove, and many more estates in the planning. Planning is in place to install a 24/7 defibrillator at the Balbriggan Court House, and to support Balbriggan 34th/161st Scouts with their installation at Market Green.

Orange Bins are placed all across Balbriggan, from the Rugby Club, through the town at The Lark Concert Hall, Glebe North Football Club, the Senior Citizens Hall, St. Peter’s and Paul’s Primary School, to the other side of the community at Balbriggan Football Club.

There are hundreds of residents collecting and donating their bottles and cans for the cause. To support national pilot for residential defibrillators a Go Fund Me Campaign has been setup to run 5km daily to bring awareness to the Balbriggan Chain of Survival programme.

To date, there’s been 432 daily 5km runs in a row, over 60 contributors and €1,816 raised which as supported the purchase of the first four defibrillator and cabinets. For details of the Go Fund Me click here https://gofund.me/917253f0

There are several ongoing projects within the programme, to find out more, please check out our social pages BalbrigganCOS or contact BalbrigganCOS@gmail.com”