The seven newly-acquired ambulances and minibuses were officially handed over to Branches of the Irish Red Cross by the Minister for Health & Children, Ms Mary Harney TD, in the Spa Hotel, Lucan, Co. Dublin today ( Saturday 16th September 2006).

These new ambulances now bring the Irish Red Cross fleet size to 100 vehicles with improved off-road and mobile control and command as well as disabled capacities.

Now, the Irish Red Cross is better equipped to support the ambulance service in dealing with large emergencies, as well as emergencies in more remote areas, and the need for more transport for people with impaired mobility and other disabilities.

Costing over half a million Euro the ambulances represent the Irish Red Cross commitment to upgrading and increasing its national fleet. They will be deployed to the Eastern, Southern and Western regions as well as Dublin, Tallaght, Slane Co Meath, Kinsale and Midleton in Co Cork.

Mr. Tony Lawlor Vice-Chairman of the Irish Red Cross said that, in the light of recent international disasters, there has been a general move to increase capacities within the voluntary sector to respond to emergencies in line with the plan contained in the new National Emergency Framework and local or regional emergency plans.

\x93These ambulances will make a tremendous difference to the quality of service we provide throughout the country, including back up services to many of the HSE regional offices and First Aid services at major events,\x94 Mr. Lawlor said.

Background

1. The Irish Red Cross has invested over Euro 3 million in upgrading and expanding its ambulance fleet since a programme of renewal got underway around the country in 2002.

2. The new national plan to deal with emergencies that arise \x96 the National Emergency Framework \x96 sets out the role of the Irish Red Cross, alongside the statutory emergency back-up services of the Defence Forces and Civil Defence.

3. To meet the needs of emergencies today, in line with the National Emergency Framework and local or regional emergency plans, the Irish Red Cross undertook this extensive ambulance and equipment programme.

4. The ambulance replacement programme will increase the organisation\x92s ability to deal with new kinds of emergencies that require faster responses and the ability to reach more remote areas, by introducing \x96 for the first time \x96 a mobile command and control unit and off-road vehicles, as well as traditional ambulances and minibuses.

5. The Irish Red Cross is the most widely recognised provider of First Aid training in Ireland.

6. One of the most acute and dangerous conditions in Ireland is cardiac arrest, the Irish Red Cross has doubled its cardiac arrest response capacity in the last three years.

7. Evidence shows thar for each minute\x92s delay in delivering a shock to a casualty in cardiac arrest (ventricular fibrillation) there is a 10% reduction in survival rates.

8. Ireland has one of the highest rates of cardiac mortality in Europe (fourth-highest).

9. 18 people die in out of hospital cardiac arrest in Ireland every day \x96 that\x92s 6,000 people a year \x96 estimates indicate that as many as half of these could be saved with the swift application of a defibrillator.

10. In 2006, the Irish Red Cross launched its \x93Cross Out Day\x94 campaign to provide defibrillators to groups of people who are not Red Cross members in clubs and communities around Ireland.

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