Critical - Emergency Medical Response

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), paramedics, 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

🎄 8 Days to Christmas Eve🎄A heartfelt thank you to Canada Life Reinsurance for their continued partnership and support o...
16/12/2025

🎄 8 Days to Christmas Eve🎄

A heartfelt thank you to Canada Life Reinsurance for their continued partnership and support of CRITICAL. Since 2023, their backing has helped deliver 32 life-support bags to communities across Ireland that have since been used over 400 times to help save lives.

We are grateful for your commitment to strengthening emergency response and supporting volunteer responders nationwide.

✨ This Christmas, you can help save lives too. Please consider donating to CRITICAL and supporting life-saving emergency care in communities across Ireland.

🎁 Donate on https://visufund.com/41871

🎄 9 Days to Christmas Eve🎄This year, we were deeply honoured to be recognised by the American Chamber for our life-savin...
15/12/2025

🎄 9 Days to Christmas Eve🎄

This year, we were deeply honoured to be recognised by the American Chamber for our life-saving community impact. Accepting the award on behalf of CRITICAL was Jim, whose courage in sharing his story continues to raise vital awareness of the importance of rapid emergency care in our communities.

Jim’s story is a powerful reminder that impact isn’t about statistics, it’s about people. People like Jim, and people like Edward, one of CRITICAL’s dedicated volunteer responders. On Easter Sunday, Edward answered the call, arriving quickly, fully trained and equipped, and providing critical care when every second mattered. That response helped save Jim’s life.

Jim, thank you for standing with us, for sharing your experience so openly, and for helping the public understand the difference CRITICAL makes with every call in communities accross Ireland.

✨ This Christmas, your donation can help make more life-saving moments possible.

🎁 Donate on https://visufund.com/41871

14/12/2025

🎄 10 Days to Christmas Eve🎄

Through Olivia’s words we are reminded that every light represents more than one person. It represents families, friends, and the entire circle of care made possible through CRITICAL. Every call answered, every life touched, every moment of support. Each one matters.

Today we shine a light on everyone impacted by CRITICAL and extend our heartfelt thanks to every supporter, donor, volunteer, and frontline hero who makes this life-saving work possible. 💛

✨ This Christmas, you can sponsor a light too.

🎁 Donate on https://visufund.com/41871

🎄 11 Days to Christmas Eve 🎄Today we want to take a moment to thank our incredible first responder groups and community ...
13/12/2025

🎄 11 Days to Christmas Eve 🎄

Today we want to take a moment to thank our incredible first responder groups and community heroes. Your dedication, courage, and compassion make a life-changing difference every single day, often in the most challenging circumstances.

Your tireless work supports individuals and families at their most vulnerable, and we are deeply grateful for the vital role you play in your communities.

✨ This Christmas, you can help support the heroes who support others.
By donating to CRITICAL, you help ensure continued care, resources, and support for patients, families, and the frontline teams who stand beside them.

🎁 Donate this Christmas on https://visufund.com/41871

Critical CFR Deansgrange Critical CFR - Macroom Critical CFR - West Limerick Critical CFR - Killaloe/Ballina Critical CFR- Balbriggan Critical CFR Blackwater Critical CFR - Carrick on Suir Critical Youghal First Responders Critical CFR Ennis

🎄 12 Days to Christmas Eve 🎄Today we want to shine a light on Eugene for his incredible commitment and dedication. Not o...
12/12/2025

🎄 12 Days to Christmas Eve 🎄

Today we want to shine a light on Eugene for his incredible commitment and dedication. Not only did he raise vital funds for CRITICAL, but he also completed the Dublin Marathon, running in support of the charity on behalf of his wife, Olivia, who was cared for by Dr. Paul Campbell.

Eugene, we are truly grateful for the impact you have made and for helping us continue to support communities when they need it most 💛

✨ This Christmas, you can help change lives too.

Please consider donating to CRITICAL and supporting patients and families at their most vulnerable time. Every donation makes a difference.

🎁 Donate this Christmas on www.visufund.com/41871

10/12/2025

Tonight Wednesday 5pm-7.30pm

Our CRITICAL first responders from Killaloe-Ballina will be at St. Anne School Christmas Fair along with Jack Byrnes and Mark Ryan with their lovely ornamental Reindeer which they are selling for a number of good causes. We have lots of raffle prizes and hampers so pop over and say hello to our team.

Some wonderful work and efforts by the pupils in St Anne's is on display so please support as many causes as you can.

Link to Donate to CFR Ballina/Killaloe

https://criticalcfr.enthuse.com/pf/criticalcfr-killaloe-ballina

Olivia Hunt will be joining Joe Finnegan on Shannonside FM Radio this morning from 10:25, alongside David Tighe.As Shann...
10/12/2025

Olivia Hunt will be joining Joe Finnegan on Shannonside FM Radio this morning from 10:25, alongside David Tighe.

As Shannonside is the local station for her home county of Roscommon, Olivia will be sharing her personal story and speaking about our Christmas campaign, Every Light a Life.

🎙️ Listen live at www.shannonside.ie

08/12/2025

CRITICAL CEO, David Tighe joined Alan Morrissey on Clare FM this morning to talk about our Christmas campaign "Every Light a Life" and to share some exciting news for the people of Clare.

A brand new Community First Responder (CFR) group is now in training to support the Ruan and Dysart areas, with hopes to go live next year!

Have a listen back 🎧

Critical CFR - Killaloe/Ballina were delighted to attend the Killaloe/Ballina Christmas Fair yesterday🎄We’re so grateful...
08/12/2025

Critical CFR - Killaloe/Ballina were delighted to attend the Killaloe/Ballina Christmas Fair yesterday🎄

We’re so grateful to everyone who came out despite the weather, stopped for a chat, and supported us on the day. Your kindness helps keep our team equipped and ready to respond whenever an emergency call comes in.

Funds raised at events like this go directly towards essential life-saving equipment and ongoing training for our responders.

Thank you for helping us save lives ❤️

You can still order from our Christmas Shop on www.criticalcharity.ie/critical-christmas-shop/

Tune into Clare FM Morning Focus from 10am today where CRITICAL CEO, David Tighe will be speaking about our Every Light ...
08/12/2025

Tune into Clare FM Morning Focus from 10am today where CRITICAL CEO, David Tighe will be speaking about our Every Light a Life campaign 🚨✨

Listen on https://www.clare.fm/player/

Address

Croom Primary Care Centre
Croom
V35XT25

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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.