Critical - Emergency Medical Response

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Critical - Emergency Medical Response

Ireland’s Leading Volunteer Emergency Medical Response Charity CRITICAL is the largest Volunteer Emergency Medical Response charity in Ireland.

CRITICAL volunteers provide pre-hospital emergency care to critically ill and injured patients in rural and urban areas across the country. Initially founded in 2009 as Irish Community Rapid Response, CRITICAL now has a growing network of volunteer responders operating in 20 counties in cities, towns, and villages. With over 160 medical volunteers, including emergency medical technicians (EMTs), p

aramedics, consultants and other qualified medical professionals, CRITICAL works in partnership with the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to respond to life-threatening emergencies. CRITICAL envisions an Ireland where communities and those living in it have equal opportunity to receive a rapid medical response in the event of a medical emergency, injury, accident, or trauma, no matter the location. We have teams of experienced Volunteer Emergency Medical Doctors, Medical Responders, and Community Responders in communities all over Ireland, with our medical response network steadily growing. We supply emergency medical response vehicles in key areas to experienced advanced or critical care doctors. These vehicles are kitted out with specialist medical equipment including defibrillators, chest compression systems and suction units as well as advanced medical and trauma kits. This allows our volunteer doctors to perform complex and often lifesaving medical procedures, wherever and whenever they’re called upon. We have ambitious plans to further expand this network. Our ground teams responded to more than 1,800 incidents over the last three years alone, working in partnership with the emergency services to give people the very best chance of survival when they find themselves seriously ill or injured. We fundraise to kit out our volunteers so they can continue their life saving work. It costs an average of €25,000 to establish an Advanced level Volunteer Doctor in the community and €120,000 to put a new Critical Care response vehicle on the road. Each lifesaving emergency backpack that we give to a responder in a community like yours costs and average of €1,500 to supply. With your help we will be able to expand this service to more locations across Ireland. Irish Community Rapid Response CLG T/A CRITICAL | Registered Charity No (RCN): 20070762

20/04/2026

17/04/2026

We are so proud and honoured to have been chosen as one of daa's Charity Partners for 2025! ⭐

Thanks to the incredible generosity of daa staff across Dublin Airport and Cork Airport and the kindness of their passengers, daa employees raised an amazing €530,000 for three Irish charities, with CRITICAL receiving around €176,500.

This means the world to us and the people we support. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to every single person who fundraised, donated or cheered on the effort throughout the year.

Read the full story here 👇
https://criticalcharity.ie/daa-employees-raise-e530000-for-three-great-irish-charities/

16/04/2026

You don’t need to be a paramedic to save a life.

As a Community First Responder, you can provide critical support in those first few minutes before emergency services arrive. It’s one of the most important roles you can play in your community.

We're always on the lookout for people who want to join us in our mission and make a difference.

You can learn about volunteering at CRITICAL and the different ways in which you can help by heading to our website.

15/04/2026

Critical CFR - Carrick on Suir's own volunteer, Gerry, will be speaking with Claire Byrne on Newstalk this morning after 11am.

Be sure to listen in and hear his story if you can!

🎧 You can listen live online at www.newstalk.com/listen-live
or on stations 106 - 108 FM (depending where you are)

National Ambulance Service (NAS)

12/04/2026

Join us for a fantastic day on the course at our upcoming Golf Classic Fundraiser ⛳

Taking place at Ennis Golf Club on April 25th, it's the perfect opportunity to enjoy great golf, a bit of friendly competition and plenty of prizes all while supporting a great cause.

Proudly sponsored by Temple Gate Hotel and Shannon Springs Hotel, every team that takes part will be helping to support local CRITICAL Community First Responder groups in Clare. Ensuring more volunteers are trained, equipped and ready to respond when it matters most!

10/04/2026

Did you know we have corporate partnership packages available?

Our Heroes from HQ package brings CRITICAL volunteers directly to your workplace, delivering life saving training that equips your employees and colleagues with the skills and confidence to act in an emergency.

These are skills that go far beyond the workplace, making a real difference in homes, communities and everyday life.

Partnering with CRITICAL is also a meaningful way to strengthen your organisation’s corporate social responsibility, demonstrating a genuine commitment to community wellbeing while empowering your team to save lives.

Visit our website to learn more.

08/04/2026

Dublin based Critical CFR Deansgrange volunteer, Cian Murphy made a trip to Cork last night.. 🚗

Cian is our nationwide Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) coordinator and spent time with members of the Critical CFR - Douglas group speaking about the importance of looking after their own mental health.

Responding to emergencies can be incredibly rewarding but it can also be challenging. Sessions like these provide a safe space to reflect, check in with one another and ensure our volunteers feel supported in the vital work they do.

A big thank you to Cian for making the journey and to the Douglas group for their continued commitment to both their community and to each other!

04/04/2026

Critical CFR-Kilkenny are in MacDonagh junction shopping centre today from 10-4pm for people to come and meet the team.

Why not have a go at CPR, just 2 minutes learning how to save a life could mean the difference between life and death.

The Group are also show casing their upcoming fundraising event that’s happening in May - cycling from Malin to Mizen.

03/04/2026

We’re holding a Golf Classic Fundraiser to support the recently established Critical CFR Ennis group, as well as a second group currently in training in Ruan and Dysart, Co. Clare 📍

Taking place at Ennis Golf Club on April 25th, teams of four are invited to enter at a cost of €160 per team.

Sponsored by Temple Gate Hotel and Shannon Springs Hotel, the day promises great golf and plenty of prizes, including awards for longest drive, nearest the pin, and the top seven finishing teams ⛳

The Ennis CFR group has been responding to life-threatening emergencies in the town and surrounding areas since September 2025. In just their first four months, they attended 15 cardiac arrest incidents.

The team of nine dedicated volunteers continues to train every two weeks, working towards expanding their skills to respond to chest pain and stroke calls.

Following this success, a new CRITICAL CFR group has been established in Ruan and Dysart, just north of Ennis. The group is nearing completion of training and is expected to begin responding to cardiac arrests, choking and unconscious incidents in the coming weeks.

By taking part, you’re directly supporting the training, equipment and expansion of Community First Responder groups, helping ensure more lives can be reached when every second counts.

Read the full story:
https://criticalcharity.ie/clare-community-first-responder-group-to-hold-golf-classic-fundraiser/

CRITICAL is holding a Golf Classic Fundraiser to support the recently established Community First Responder (CFR) group in Ennis and a second group currently in training in the Ruan and Dysart areas of County Clare. The fundraiser will take place at Ennis Golf Club on April 25th, with teams of four....

31/03/2026

Whether you’re supporting staff, students or your local community, your participation could help save a life ❤️

When an emergency happens, the actions taken in the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death, and anyone can learn them.

Learn more on https://criticalcharity.ie/spring-into-action/

27/03/2026

❗ Due to unforeseen circumstances the Mailn to Mizen cycle this Saturday has been postponed.

A later date to be announced - stay tuned.

If you'd still like to show support to our new group Critical CFR-Kilkenny, you can make a donation on https://criticalcfr.enthuse.com/cf/7bdf/fundraiser #!/

Thank you

26/03/2026

2 days to go... 🚴‍♂️

Derek Feehan and Sham Creane are preparing to take on an incredible Malin to Mizen cycle in support of the new Critical CFR-Kilkenny group.

Covering up to 640km in just two days, this challenge is especially meaningful, with Derek’s brother David a valued member of the Kilkenny CFR team.

Funds raised will support vital equipment, helping the group continue to deliver lifesaving care in their community when it matters most.

If you can, please support. If not, a like or share helps more than you know.

Support here:
https://criticalcfr.enthuse.com/cf/7bdf/fundraiser #!/

Address

Croom Primary Care Centre
Croom
V35XT25

Telephone

+353214190999

Website

https://www.criticalcharity.ie/

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Our Story

Irish Community Rapid Response - By Land and Air was established in 2008 to deliver professional pre hospital care directly to the site of medical emergencies throughout Ireland. Our volunteer doctors have made a significant difference while working in association with the National Ambulance Service (NAS) when responding to 999/112 emergency calls. Building on our experience and success we launced Ireland's first charity Air Ambulance/ Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in July 2019. In our first year of service we responded to over 520 taskings through the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). The NEOC deploys the Air Ambulance as an asset of the NAS, in response to 999/112 calls.

Based out of Rathcool in North Cork, the Irish Community Air Ambulance provides a vital service to people experiencing time critical life threatening emergencies, bringing an Advanced Paramedic to them within minutes of the inital call to 999/112.

The main call outs include Cardiac Arrest, Road Traffic Incidents, Stroke, Fall from Height, Farm and Equestrian related injuries.

As a charity, we rely on public donations to fund the costs of keeping the helicopter in the air.