An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir April 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 10 | vEtERAn'S nEWS vEtERAn'S nEWS vEtERAn'S nEWS By Sgt WAynE FItzgERAlD PhotoS By CPl lEE CoylE THE NAVAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION HONOUR HEROES O n Sunday the 25th March 2018, the Dublin Branch of the naval Service Association held their Annual De- ceased Members Mass in Cathal Brugha Bks, Dublin. After the mass they went to the Michael Collins Club beside the catering centre were a number of presentations were made. The main presentation was to Garda Stephen Murray and taxi driver Brian Herron who performed roadside cardio- pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to 76-year-old Neville Brennan. Neville served in the An Slua Muirí (now the Naval Service Reserve) for 42-years and is currently a member of the Naval Service Association. Neville was driving his car accompanied by his wife Sheila and grandson Robert on the Drumcondra Road on the evening of 14th August 2017, when suffered a heart attack while driving. This made him swerve onto the other side of the carriage- way and crash. Thankfully off-duty Garda Stephen Murray was in traffic when Neville's car swerved into his path and crashed. Garda Murray searched for a pulse to no avail and dragged Neville from his crashed car and started to administer CPR. Neville's family created a Facebook campaign to try and locate the heroes that saved their father's life, and thankfully they did within 24 hours. Taxi driver Brian Herron pulled over straight away and began to assist Garda Stephen Murray with CPR at the scene. He said it was pouring rain but all he could think about was saving this man's life. Brian is a member of Emerald Diving Ireland and credits them for his quick action. He said, "People are afraid that they will do something wrong, but if they just do what they can, even if it's only ringing an ambulance and providing comfort." He advocated that people could do courses in CPR and need to practice to be comfortable with providing first aid. Neville's daughter, Sgt Hazel Brennan has 25-years-service in the Reserve Defence Forces and is currently serving in the 7 Inf Bn said, "My father had no pulse, Garda Murray sent my son to locate a defibrillator, but the only defibrillator was locked in the bank and he couldn't find another one… the hospital were very clear, it was the immediate action of the CPR that saved his life." Hazel concluded, "I just can't explain how very grateful my fam- ily and I are for the quick actions of Stephen and Brian, who are heroes for saving my father's life. He would be dead if it wasn't for those men." Neville pictured with his daughter Hazel and his wife Sheila in Cathal Brugha Bks. Photo: Sgt Hazel Brennan Garda Stephen Murray, Neville and his wife Sheila and Brian Herron, outside the church in Cathal Brugha Bks. Taxi driver Brian Herron and Garda Stephen Murray being presented with their Certificates of Appreciation by Brian Gildea, President of Dublin Branch, NSA.

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