On the first day of International Air Ambulance Week, Coolmore Stud has announced a three-year financial commitment to Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR), the charity running Ireland's first community-funded air ambulance.

The ICRR air ambulance was launched in July 2019 and has responded to over 575 calls. Main call-outs include cardiac arrest, road traffic collisions and farm-related incidents.

A spokesperson for Coolmore said: "The air ambulance has been called upon on several occasions to tend to fallen jockeys. In the horse racing and breeding industry, we are comforted by the knowledge that we can have such a high level of paramedic care by our side in minutes.”

Based in Rathcool, Co Cork, the air ambulance can be with anyone in Munster in 30 minutes. It can also, if tasked by the National Ambulance Service, be in most of Connaught and Leinster within 45 minutes.

Support

Chair of ICRR's board of directors John Finnegan said: "We are over the moon with this significant support from Coolmore. We would like to thank John Magnier and his family for truly understanding the need for this vital service.”

The charity is campaigning for people across Ireland to sign up to become friends of the air ambulance, with each mission costing €3,500 on average.

"Prompt pre-hospital care can, and does, make the difference between life and death. It is our hope that this multi-year donation will give the air ambulance sustainable income and will encourage other corporate donors to get on board,” the spokesperson for Coolmore concluded.

To sign up, call 021-419 0999 or click here.

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