A new defibrillator has been installed in a renovated telephone kiosk in Portlaoise.
The kiosk is situated beside the top square at the side wall of St. Peter’s Church.
The old phone box was donated by Mary and Pat O’Regan from Errill.
John Killeen from Portlaoise Lions Club brought it from Errill to Stradbally.
Niall Kavanagh in McKeon Stone in Stradbally restored it and set it up in Portlaoise while Nolan’s Locksmiths sponsored the supply and fitting of the coded lock.
At the weekend Ciaran Mullooly from RTE came to Portlaoise and the placing of the new defibrillator in the kiosk by Sheelagh Coyle, defibrillator committee and Maire NÍ Riordáin President Portlaoise Lions Club was filmed for RTE news.
The kiosk is opened using a code which is on the door.
It is essential to get defibrillator to patient as quickly as possible.
When switched on the machine tells you what to do.
CPR, which involves pressing hard and fast on the centre of someone’s chest, is necessary too.
Free courses in CPR for groups are available from the Irish Heart Foundation.
Thanks to Laois County Council, the Ambulance Service and Portlaoise Lions Club for their help with this project.
Members of the defibrillator committee are Peter Naughton, Derek Phelan, Seamus Moran and Sheelagh Coyle.
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