Dunboyne First Responders are a voluntary Community First Responder (CFR) group that works in partnership with the National Ambulance Service to provide immediate lifesaving care in our local community. Our highly trained volunteers respond to certain emergency calls delivering vital treatment and support while an ambulance is on the way.

Community First Responders in Ireland

Community First Responder (CFR) schemes were first introduced in Ireland in 2005 through a partnership with the National Ambulance Service (NAS). Their purpose was simple but powerful – to train local volunteers to provide immediate lifesaving care in their communities while an ambulance is on the way. Since then, the movement has grown significantly, with hundreds of volunteer groups and thousands of responders now supporting the National Ambulance Service across Ireland. These volunteers respond to certain medical emergencies, including cardiac arrest, choking, chest pain and suspected stroke, helping to bridge the gap until professional ambulance crews arrive.

Community First Responders have become an essential part of pre-hospital emergency care in Ireland. They are ordinary people from local communities who dedicate their time to learning lifesaving skills and making a difference when their neighbours need help the most. Today, there are more than 350 active Community First Responder groups operating nationwide, providing an invaluable service to communities both rural and urban.

 

The Story of Dunboyne First Responders

The idea of establishing a Community First Responder group in Dunboyne first emerged in 2015. Following the launch of a responder scheme in nearby Dunshaughlin, it became clear that a similar service would greatly benefit the people of Dunboyne and the surrounding areas. A small group of local volunteers came together with one shared vision – to provide immediate support to people experiencing medical emergencies while an ambulance was on its way.

After many months of planning, fundraising and training, Dunboyne First Responders officially began receiving calls from the National Ambulance Service in February 2017. What started as a small team with a big ambition has since grown into a thriving scheme of more than 30 dedicated volunteers.

Today, our group includes four qualified CPR instructors and a wide range of modern training and response equipment, including responder bags, training manikins and defibrillators. We also play an active role in supporting and maintaining several public access defibrillators throughout the Dunboyne area, ensuring these lifesaving devices remain available to the community when they are needed most.

Education and community engagement are at the heart of what we do. In addition to responding to emergency calls, we regularly deliver Community First Responder, CPR and AED training courses to local businesses, sports clubs, community groups and individuals. By teaching these essential skills, we hope to empower more people to act confidently in an emergency and ultimately save lives.

From a simple idea in 2015 to a well-established and respected volunteer organisation today, Dunboyne First Responders continues to grow and evolve. Every call we attend, every person we train and every defibrillator we help maintain is driven by one purpose – serving our community and making Dunboyne a safer place to live, work and visit.