CRITICAL - Irish Community Rapid Response

Our charity was established in 2009 as Irish Community Rapid Response and in 2019 it successfully launched Ireland’s first and only charity Air Ambulance. Over a 36 month period it was tasked to more than 1,500 serious incidents and emergencies including; Cardiac Arrests, Road Traffic Accidents, Farm Accidents and other serious medical emergencies and traumas.

In 2023 we began to trade as CRITICAL, and we are now focused on expanding our network of Volunteer Emergency Medical Responders and CRITICAL Community First Responders across Ireland.

Critical is Ireland’s only dedicated emergency medical response charity, delivering advanced pre-hospital care to patients in life-threatening emergencies. In 2024, our teams responded to 1,308 999/112 calls, saving lives in the minutes that matter most. We are a PHECC-accredited organisation with a Charities Institute Triple Lock Award (2025).

We work alongside the National Ambulance Service to ensure patients receive the highest standard of care when every second counts.

We operate through volunteer consultants in emergency medicine, anaesthesia, and intensive care, supported by advanced paramedics, EMTs and community volunteers.

Our teams are equipped with fully fitted emergency response vehicles, defibrillators, ventilators, airway management kits and their lifesaving tools.

At CRITICAL, governance is at the heart of everything we do. We firmly believe that strong and effective governance is essential for ensuring transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of resources. Our dedicated board brings together a diverse range of expertise and experience to provide strategic direction and oversight. We have established robust governance policies and procedures that guide our decision-making processes, ensuring that we operate ethically and in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.