Portlaoise Community First Responders

29/01/2026

Last night, some of our Community First Responders attended the AGM for People First Credit Union where we were nominated for the Community Champions Award. We’re very happy to say we were runners up, and received a prize of €2000. This will be used to install a new public access AED in Portlaoise. (Details of location to be confirmed)

We would like to thank People First Credit Union for recognising our commitment and service to the Portlaoise community, we also want to thank them for all their support to date!

We also want to thank our fundraising and events coordinator Claire Dunne, who submitted the nomination for the group scheme, and for her continued fundraising efforts!

26/01/2026

We are honoured to be a finalist in the People First Credit Union community champion award.
This is a huge achievement for our group since we were only established in March of 2024 and began responding to calls when dispatched from the National Ambulance Service in January of 2025.

Our group is committed to providing this service to the community. To date, since we started up we have responded almost 100 call-outs within the community, and have trained over 200 members of the community in CPR,using an AED and basic life saving skills.
Our goal in 2026 with the help of the community is to install more public access AEDs, to raise awareness of the importance of CPR skills and how to use an AED, as well as provide more training to the community.

Congratulations to the other two finalists and best wishes!❤️

23/01/2026

Thanks to everyone who came along to our Open Night last night!

We had great interest in the type of training courses we offer as well as what we do in the community.
If you are interested in training, or becoming a Community First Responder please contact us on our socials or email: portlaoisecfrinfo@gmail.com

20/01/2026

Portlaoise Community First Responders secured funding from Laois County Council as part of the Local Enhancement Programme in 2025. This enabled our group to purchase a second kit of stackable manikins.
The manikins are used for training for both our Community First Responders as well as providing training to members of the community, such as public training, schools and businesses.

This was a huge benefit to our group because it means we could offer training to groups of 12 ,each member having their own manikin to train for CPR as opposed to sharing. We sincerely thank Laois County Council for approving this funding as it is making a considerable difference to our group and the wider community.

Since February 2025 our group has trained over 200 members of the community in certified Irish Heart Foundation Heart Saver, and Hands for Life courses. These courses train people in CPR,basic life saving skills and how to use an AED.

If you are a school,business,workplace,sports club or any other community group and would to avail of our free certified courses please email portlaoisecfrtraining@gmail.com

08/01/2026

We start off 2026 with some excellent news. Portlaoise Community First Responders Group has been selected as a finalist in the People First Credit Union Community Champion Awards.

Our project is to install 3 more Public Access AEDs in Portlaoise to service the community and provide easier and faster access to the community to use AEDs. We wish all of the other finalist the best of luck also! ❤️

People First Credit Union People First Credit Union

24/12/2025

Happy Christmas from all at Portlaoise Community First Responders 🎄🎁

04/12/2025

Some snaps from our most recent HeartSaver course,hosted in Portlaoise Library!
A huge thank to all who attended,and to Laois Libraries for their continued support❤️

Keep an eye on our page to find out when our next course will be!

26/11/2025

We had the pleasure of attending last Friday’s Laois Community & Voluntary Awards, hosted by Laois County Council People First Credit Union Laois Public Participation Network

We want to give a huge thank you for the nomination in the Health & Wellbeing award catagory! It was an amazing evening,filled with wonderful people and community groups from across the county.

A huge congratulations to every winner and nominee across the night,and we hope to see you all next year☺️😉

23/11/2025

An incredible read about Logan Smyth, a young teenager who highlights the importance of CPR training after his own cardiac arrest last year. We want to wish Logan all the best in his health and his swimming career. ❤️

One of our roles is to spread awareness of CPR and how to use an AED,and encourage people to ensure there is an AED on your premises, as well as performing regular checks to ensure it is operational.

Portlaoise Community First Responders provide certified Irish Heart Foundation courses in CPR, to date we have provide courses in schools, workplaces&Community groups as well as the general public.
If this is something that you would like to discuss please email portlaoisecfrtraining@gmail.com

https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2025/1123/1545362-laois-teenager-cpr/?fbclid=IwVERTSAOQKRpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7-At8qJB8mXFja9t0CKoy_UurQSPYaE6Un5gzEEzV09Y1136oTsB81w3RLMw_aem_D5VUxTzUApBxqWUTVXgLuw&sfnsn=wa

The family of a Co Laois teenager who suffered a cardiac arrest while on a swim training camp in Barcelona last summer say they believe CPR training should be made mandatory in secondary schools.

21/11/2025

Portlaoise CFR’s Instructors recently visited Ballyfin NS to deliver the Hands for Life training course to staff members in the school.
We want to extend a massive thank you to Sarah and all the staff from Ballyfin NS for their support and custom!❤️🥰

29/10/2025

Reminder to register before the spaces fill up!
Click the link here to register your place in our certified HeartSaver course 👉🏻

https://laois.spydus.ie/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/FULL/WPAC/EVSESENQ/579449916/131073152,1

This course is running in Portlaoise Library on
Saturday 22nd November from 10am-1pm❤️
Laois Libraries

Portlaoise Community First Responders are hosting a free certified Heartsaver CPR course in Portlaoise Library on the Saturday 22nd November, from 10am - 1pm

Learn how to do CPR,use an AED and receive a certification in these areas.

Interested in booking? Contact Portlaoise library to book your place before all slots are filled!
👉🏻 portlaoiselibrary@laoiscoco.ie
👉🏻 0578622333

Laois Libraries

23/10/2025

Portlaoise Community First Responders are hosting a free certified Heartsaver CPR course in Portlaoise Library on the Saturday 22nd November, from 10am - 1pm

Learn how to do CPR,use an AED and receive a certification in these areas.

Interested in booking? Contact Portlaoise library to book your place before all slots are filled!
👉🏻 portlaoiselibrary@laoiscoco.ie
👉🏻 0578622333

Laois Libraries