Thirty-Six lives saved in remarkable near-drowning incidents

Nov 17, 2013 News 0

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Thirty-Six Lives Saved in Dramatic Near-Drowning Rescues
Irish Water Safety to honour remarkable rescuers
St. George’s Hall, Dublin Castle, Tues 19th November 2013, 3 – 5pm

Thirty-seven rescuers from twenty-two dramatic near-death incidents will receive recognition at Irish Water Safety’s National Awards Ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday 19th November 2013, from 3pm to 5pm. Thirty-six lives were saved from drowning through the brave actions of these rescuers. Mr Fergus O’Dowd TD Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources and Environment, Community & Local Government will present the “SEIKO Just in Time Rescue Award” to these rescuers in appreciation for saving so many lives. “Tragically an average of 140 drownings occur in Ireland every year,” commented Minister O’Dowd, “and although that’s 140 too many, the figure would be even higher but for the dramatic efforts of these individuals who saved others from drowning and the ongoing work of volunteers teaching swimming and rescue skills. Last year, the 147 drownings in Ireland were higher than the annual average, reason enough to highlight the work of Irish Water Safety Volunteers and their partners in the public and private sector in educating more people on how best to enjoy our wonderful aquatic facilities more safely. Complacency around aquatic environments is simply not an option”, he added.” “The tragic drownings during this summer’s warm weather brought home the need for constant vigilance around water. During the hot spell, twelve people drowned in two weeks and in July alone, Lifeguards trained and assessed by Irish Water Safety, rescued 559 people from drowning.” “I appeal to all adults to make themselves more aware of the dangers in, on and around water”, continued Minister O’Dowd. “It only takes seconds for tragedy to strike and this can so easily be avoided if people take responsibility for their own safety by learning about the hazards. I ask that people encourage friends and family to read Irish Water Safety’s guidelines at www.iws.ie so that they don’t become a drowning statistic.” “Drownings often happen quickly and silently with 80% of drownings occurring close to the victim’s home. The range of aquatic activities is extremely varied yet what is tragically constant each year is the gender most at risk – males – tragically reflected in the fact that of the 147 drownings last year, 113 were male and 34 female. An alarming 47% of accidental drownings occurred in the 30-59 year age group clearly demonstrating that regardless of age, one is never too old to learn how to stay safe around water.” Long-Service Awards will also be presented, recognising 670 years of personal service of 29 Irish Water Safety volunteers from around the country for teaching swimming, rescue and water survival skills.

SEIKO JUST IN TIME AWARD RECIPIENTS: Title First Name Last Name County Mobile Number Notes Ms Mr Mr Mr Anne Mark Ryan Craig Usher Usher Usher Usher Wicklow Wicklow Wicklow Wicklow 866017099 On the 10th of September 2011, at Lough Derg, the Usher family were taking part in the Gortmore Bell Race when they came upon three people in difficulty in the water. They managed to bring two of them to safety by pulling them onto their yacht. The third person was rescued by the RNLI lifeboat. All three men made a full recovery thanks to the bravery and quick response of both the Usher family and RNLI Lifeboat crew. Mr Mr Colm Darren Moloney Mullins Dublin Dublin 874169013 On Saturday 25th May 2013 at Courtown Harbour, Colm had just finished a training session with Courtown Sailing Club when he noticed a lady calling for help, as someone was drowning close by. Colm radioed the rescue boats for help and ran towards the casualties; he noticed that there were three people in the water. Without hesitation, Colm entered the water and instructed one of the victims to swim towards the shore. With the aid of another instructor Darren Mullins, all three boys were taken to safety. Colm continued on to one of the boy’s fathers and upon reaching him, realised he was unconscious. Colm was wearing sailing gloves, a lifejacket, two pairs of shorts, several rash vests and found the swim tough. However, he managed to grab the man and support him while calling for help; the rescue boat came to them and pulled the casualty onto the boat to complete a successful rescue. Ms Ms Hannah Delphine Gillespie Leonard Fermanagh Fermanagh On 25th March 2012, at Lough MacNean Lake, Hannah Gillespie and Delphine Leonard came upon a man and woman in difficulty in the water as their canoe had capsized. Hannah, who initially became aware of their calls for help, swam a quarter of a mile out to them while Delphine paddled out in her own canoe to help. Both girls tied the boats together before paddling both victims to safety. Mr Mr Mr Mr James Alan Colin Joe Ryan Byrne Reade Eustace Dublin Dublin Kildare Wexford 858087516 On Saturday 13th October 2012, James, Alan, Colin and Joe were driving along by the canal in Dublin City when they noticed something in the water. When they went to investigate, they noticed it was a person floating. James phoned emergency services. The other three men ran to the canal bank where they were able to reach out to the woman and bring her to safety. They placed her in the recovery position and waited with her until emergency services arrived. Garda Joe Hayes River Shannon On the 6th June 2012, Garda Joe Hayes, a well known footballer, was on this way to work when he spotted a young woman in distress standing by the edge of the water. The woman entered the water and without hesitation Joe jumped in after her and brought the woman to safety. The woman made a full recovery Mr Brian Supple Kildare 857916856 On the 8th of July 2013, at Ballyadams, Co. Laois, Brian Supple came upon a situation where two men were in difficulty in a quarry. Without delay, Brian entered the water where he found the first man unconscious. He dived underwater and carried the man to land where he regained consciousness. Brian dived in for the second man, keeping him alert by talking to him. The two men made a full recovery. Mr Craig Reay Louth On the 2nd March 2013, Craig was walking along Wellington Quay when he heard splashing in the water under the bridge. He noticed a man in difficulty in the water, and immediately ran to get a life buoy. He threw it and managed to reach the man, however when Craig was pulling him to safety, the rope snapped. He ran to fetch a second lifebuoy and threw it and secured the man and called emergency services. The man was pulled to safety by both Craig and two Gardai. He made a full recovery Mr Mr Mr Mr Patrick Oisin Michael Sean Cassidy Kerr Hurst Heeney Donegal Donegal Donegal Donegal 872244737 868724370 866029768 876717067 On the 19th July 2013, Sarah Hill and four friends, Patrick, Sean, Michael and Oisin decided to climb the cliffs close to Creevy Pier, known as “The Titanic”. Sarah accidentally fell down the 14ft cliff and somersaulted into the water. Her friends, Oisin and Sean, came to her aid and got her safely out of the water while Patrick and Michael ran for help. Sarah had received extensive injuries and the first responder treatment she received from Oisin and Sean was exceptional. She spent some time in hospital and made a full recovery. The heroic efforts of all four boys saved Sarah’s life.   Garda Shane McGee Donegal On the 21st of March 2013, at River Swilly, Letterkenny, Garda Shane McGee was alerted to a report that a man had jumped into the water. Without hesitation Garda McGee went to the river and, observing a person in difficulty, he entered the water and bravely brought the person out of the water to safety. (NOTE: Although the person was saved, he tragically died 3 days later). Garda Donal Callaghan Monaghan On the evening of the 31st of January 2013, at Peters Lake in Monaghan town, Garda Donal Callaghan was on duty when a call came into the Garda Station about a woman in distress in a local waterway. Donal immediately went to the scene, and entered the water and swam to the area where the lady was spotted. He found a female face down and unconscious. He brought the female to safety and, with the help of colleagues, lifted her to shore. He performed CPR on her and successfully resuscitated her. She was taken to hospital and made a full recovery. Due to his quick thinking and selfless course of action the life of this woman was saved. Mr Edward Knight Tipperary 872142363 On the 3rd of July 2013, Edward A.K.A. Teddy Knight was taking part in a sailing race in Dromineer when he noticed a young man in difficulty in the water. He broke his boat away from the race and went towards the young man. Upon reaching him, he told him to grab onto the boat and he towed the young man safely back to shore. Mr Daniel Hughes Roscommon 876662043 On 8th July 2013, at the Boyle River, Daniel was swimming when he heard shouts for help; he swam down the river and came upon two teenagers in difficulty in the water. He told them to keep calm, grabbed hold of the girl and pushed the boy towards a rock. He then swam to the river bank with the girl and then went back out to the boy and brought him to safety. Mr Robert West Roscommon On the 26th of September 2013, at Athlone Town Marina, Robbie West was helping people onto a boat when he heard a splash, and upon investigation he discovered a woman in difficulty in the water. Robbie immediately entered the water and swam to the woman, and managed to bring her to safety. Mr Caolan Naughton Westmeath On the 15th of July 2013, at Lough Ree, Caolan was swimming with friends when he noticed a young boy in difficulty in the water. Without hesitation he swam towards the boy and brought him to safety. Due to the quick thinking and selfless course of Caolan, a young boy’s life was saved. Garda Colin Dodd Donegal On the 23rd September 2013, a local taxi driver alerted the Gardai to a woman who had entered the water at Oldtown Bridge in Letterkenny.  Garda Dodd rushed to the scene and entered the water and upon reaching the woman, brought her to safety. The woman was taken to hospital where she made a full recovery. Mr Ms Patrick Kim O Mahony Cambridge Cork Cork 852713711 On the 5th June 2013 at Youghal Harbour, Kim and Patrick noticed a young man in distress in the water. Without hesitation both Patrick a.k.a. Patsy and Kim swam out towards the young man. Upon reaching him, Patsy began to assist the casualty to swim towards the shore while Kim kept talking to the young man to keep him calm. They brought this person to safety and it is, without doubt, only for the quick actions of both Patsy and Kim, a tragedy would have occurred. Mr Richard Galvin Cork 872599053 On Friday 24th August, Richard was enjoying an afternoon at Crookhaven beach with his family. Richard noticed a person in distress in the water, and without hesitation, he grabbed a surfboard and entered the water. Upon reaching the person, with much effort,  Richard placed him onto the surfboard and took him to safety. The man was taken by emergency services to hospital where he remained for some time until he made a full recovery. Mr Dan Gallanagh Donegal On the 8th July 2013, at Pollan Beach, Donegal, Local Surf Instructor Dan Gallanagh managed to bring to safety a mother and her two sons as well as a another local woman. The mother and her two sons were swept out into the Bay by a strong current. When a local woman tried to rescue them, she too got into difficulty in the water. Without hesitation Dan entered the water on a surf board and paddled out. Upon reaching the first woman he managed to get her onto the back of the board and paddled further on out to the other three people. Dan instructed the mother to hold onto his leg with one arm and to hold onto her two sons on the board with her other arm. Dan then managed to bring all four people to safety. Mr Philip Redmond Dublin 877553580 On the 19th of June 2013, Philip was at the wheel of his Luas tram when a passenger notified him that a lady was in distress in the canal. Philip, who is a trained Lifeguard, immediately notified Luas Control Room which then alerted emergency services. Without hesitation Philip grabbed a point’s bar from his cab, and encouraged her to grab onto the pole. She did and he brought her to safety. Emergency services arrived at the scene and tended to the lady. She made a full recovery Mr Tony Stack Kerry 879793735 On the 7th July 2013, at Poulgorm, Barrow, Tony noticed four children (siblings) aged between 4 and 14 in difficulty on a sandbank surrounded by a fast incoming tide that had just turned. Without hesitation, he entered the water and brought all four children individually to safety. If it had not been for the fast and selfless actions of Tony, up to four tragedies could have easily and quickly occurred. Mr Mark Egan Offaly 873157429 In March of 2010, Mark Egan was alerted about a man who had accidentally fallen into the canal at Ballycommon Bridge. Mark immediately went to the area and entered the water, where he successfully brought the man to shore. He performed CPR with the aid of a defibrillator until the emergency services arrived. The man made a full recovery. Garda Garda Garda Mark Stephen John Irwin Corrigan Boyle Garda Mayo Mayo On the 18th of November 2013, just three weeks after his first water rescue, Garda Mark Irwin was on duty with Garda John Boyle, at the Quays, at an area called ‘The Point’.  They came upon a car at the edge of the pier. There was a man in a distressed state standing on the pier and another man in the water. The Gardai threw him a lifebuoy but the man wouldn’t let go of the ledge. They went down a ladder towards him and reached the man and pulled him up the ladder to safety. The man was taken to hospital where is made a full recovery. Garda Irwin’s 2nd rescue took place on the 29th of October 2012 in Westport, Co. Mayo. A car toppled 15 feet into Knappaghbeg Lough and landed upside down in the lake. Both Garda Corrigan and Garda Irwin entered the water but had difficulty opening the car door. Garda Irwin managed to manoeuvre his hand into the car and keep the person’s head above water. The fire brigade arrived approximately twenty minutes later and used cutting equipment to free the man. The man was taken to hospital where he made a full recovery.

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