#RNLI - The volunteer crew of Bundoran RNLI's lifeboat received the Emergency Response Team of the Year award at a ceremony on Saturday night (24 January).

The 2015 Community and Council Awards celebrated by LAMA (Local Authority Members Association) took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry, North Dublin and saw community groups from all over the country recognised for their achievements in the past year.

The lifeboat crew from the popular Donegal surfing haunt, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary, were nominated by Donegal County Councillor Barry O’Neill.

"What this crew do is of upmost importance not just to Bundoran but to the whole region and they are carrying on a legacy for the people who had the vision to establish the service in the first place," he said.

Accepting the award on behalf of the crew at the ceremony, volunteer press officer Shane Smyth, along with senior helm Elliot Kearns, said: "We are thrilled to be here tonight to accept this award for the volunteer crew which is a testament to their commitment to the RNLI ethos of saving lives at sea.

"Each one of our crew, be they on the boat or not, volunteers their time and skills all year round in order to keep our coastline safer and I know they will be delighted with this accolade tonight."

RNLI divisional operations manager Darren Byers added: "This is a great honour for Bundoran RNLI. Every one of our lifeboat stations operates to the highest standards.

"What many people will not know is that behind the big rescues and stories, there is a dedicated group of people who train all year round and who are always ready to drop everything to ensure the lifeboat launches to help those in trouble.

"From the lifeboat crew to the shore crew and station management to the dedicated fundraisers, they all work together on behalf of their community to rescue, to serve, to raise awareness and to educate. Well done to everyone at Bundoran RNLI."

The award came less than a week ahead of the crew’s 40th annual fundraising dinner dance with music from country star Johnny Brady, which takes place at the Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran this Friday 30 January.

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's inshore lifeboat launched shortly after 5.30pm yesterday evening (Sunday 25 January) to investigate a reported floating object drifting near the shore opposite the Murrough Carpark.

The lifeboat was on scene three minutes after launching and began an immediate sweep of the area. With light fading, the all-weather lifeboat also launched to assist using searchlights.

Shortly after 6.10pm, while searching the bay, the lifeboat volunteers responded to a second incident, this time south of Wicklow Head.

Members of the public walking on Magheramore Beach contacted the Irish Coast Guard to report a flashing light on rocks near the beach, concerned it might be a person in difficulties.

Both lifeboats immediately proceeded south, and once on scene the crews began a coastal sweep, using parachute flares to illuminate the search area.

The inshore crew located and made contact with two men fishing on rocks a short time later. They were in no danger and did not require assistance.

At 6.40pm, both lifeboats were stood down by the coastguard and returned to station.

The all-weather lifeboat crew were coxswain Nick Keogh, nechanic Tommy Murphy, Ciaran Doyle, Tommy McAulay, Kevin Rahill, Carol Flahive, John Vize and Paul Sillery. The inshore lifeboat crew were helm Vinny Mulvihill, Graham Fitzgerald and Brian Sinnott.

#RNLI - Howth RNLI's inshore lifeboat launched at 5.30am yesterday morning (Sunday 25 January) to reports of man in the water in Howth Harbour.

The lifeboat crew launched in minutes after a passer-by raised the alarm, locating the casualty just off the middle pier. Weather conditions were good and visibility in the harbour area was excellent.

The casualty was rescued from the water, given oxygen and treated for hypothermia en route back to shore, before he was transferred to hospital by a waiting ambulance.

Howth RNLI helm Ian Martin said: "We were pleased to have been able to respond and launch so quickly, using our training to recover the casualty from the water and ultimately save a life in the early hours this morning."

#lifeboat – Volunteer lifeboat crew at Newcastle RNLI were called out last Wednesday after a distress call from a fishing vessel in the Irish Sea. The All Weather Lifeboat crew were tasked by Belfast Coastguard to assist Donaghadee RNLI lifeboat crew after the skipper of the 24 meter steel hulled vessel reported his boat had lost all power.

The callout was a particularly special one for the Latus family as both father Robert and son Aaron (18) were on board Newcastle's All Weather Lifeboat 'Eleanor and Bryant Girling. The pair were sitting down to breakfast when the pagers went off at 7:53am on Wednesday morning. They promptly made their way to the station and within minutes were suited up and on their way to help the stricken vessel.

Donaghadee RNLI was first on scene 3 miles east of Portavogie. In slight sea conditions with good visibility they quickly secured a tow line and proceeded to make way towards Ardglass Harbour. They were joined by Newcastle RNLI's lifeboat crew who assisted in helping keep the vessel under control to ensure a safe entrance and berthing at its home port of Ardglass.

Commenting on the callout, Newcastle RNLI crewmember Aaron Latus said 'For years I've watched my dad responding to the lifeboat pager going off. This inspired me to join the crew at Newcastle RNLI. It was great to share my first rescue experience on the All Weather Lifeboat with dad.'

Robert Latus has given 13 years service to the lifeboat and also holds the position of assistant mechanic. Aaron has been a crew member for 15 months.

#kitesurf – A group from the Virgin Kitesurfing Armada team visited the Hayling Island RNLI station in the UK yesterday to present them with a £5,000 cheque from funds raised at last years event.

Lifeboat Operations Manager, Jonathan Bradbury received the cheque and said, 'We want to say a sincere thank you to all the kitesurfers who participated in the Armada and raised this fantastic amount. We are currently aiming to kit out the entire crew here with new drysuits, specialist helmets and gloves and this will go a along way to achieving this goal, making us more effective on the water in rescue situations.'

Mr Bradbury also explained how the Hayling RNLI branch was effectively founded after a rescue which took place 150 years ago today, and also joked, 'to be honest these days we actually have more trouble from windsurfers than kitesurfers...'

Dan Charlish from the Virgin Kitesurfing Armada said, 'Knowing the RNLI are there gives me, and I'm sure many other kitesurfers, a lot of reassurance. They do an amazing job and it's great that the kitesurfing community can come together once a year and support their work.'

Dan also thanked the volunteers for their fantastic commitment to the event, the sponsors and kitesurfing industry for getting behind the Armada and Havant Borough Council for their ongoing support and partnership.

Sarah Flamson of Havant Borough Council attended the presentation and said, 'We are fully behind the goals of the Kitesurfing Armada and it brings so much to Hayling Island - we are looking forward to working with the team to make the event even better this year.'

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI launched in severe weather conditions to assist two canoeists in difficulty on the lough yesterday (Friday 9 January).

And on returning to station, the lifeboat launched again following a report from a distressed member of public that his horse might have strayed close to the Nenagh River and be in difficulty.

Following a request from Valentia Coast Guard, Lough Derg RNLI launched initially at 3pm after a member of the public raised the alarm upon sighting an upturned canoe between Holy Island and Mountshannon.

In addition the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 was deployed from its base at Shannon, while the coastguard lifeboat based at Killaloe was also launched and an ambulance was requested to attend.

En route to the search area, the volunteer lifeboat crew – including helm Peter Clarke, Jason Freeman and Dean O'Sullivan – were informed that they were to search for two people at the scene. Weather conditions were poor, with winds west-southwest Force 7.

Once the lifeboat arrived on scene, the crew was informed that the two people in difficulty had managed to get to land on Holy Island. 

Rescue 115's crew were able to land to recover the two casualties and take them to Limerick Hospital for treatment, as they were reported to be presenting symptoms of hypothermia.

The lifeboat then returned to base at 4.04pm, and as the volunteer crew were readying the lifeboat, a distressed member of the public requested assistance as he believed his horse might have strayed into the Nenagh River.

The crew launched to investigate, but did not locate the horse either in or on the bank of the river. 

Speaking following the callouts, Brian Hanly, Lough Derg RNLI deputy launching authority, said: "It is crucial the public check the weather forecast before going afloat and remember that the water is very cold at this time of year."

Hanly also commended the RNLI volunteer crew for their speedy and professional response to the callout in what were testing conditions.

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI was requested for the first time in 2015 yesterday morning (Thursday 8 January) following a report of a swimmer in difficulty.

The volunteer crew launched their Atlantic 85 lifeboat Louis Simson at 11.30am following a call to Dublin Coast Guard from a concerned member of the public about a swimmer in the water off Red Island headland.

The lifeboat, with Joe May at the helm and crewed by David Knight, AJ Hughes and Stephen Crowley, launched and proceeded directly to the area indicated by the coastguard.

Arriving on scene, it was discovered there was a local swimming group ashore after returning from a swim. After speaking to the group, the volunteer crew were assured that everyone was accounted for.

The lifeboat performed a precautionary sweep of the area before being stood down and returning to station.

The Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 was also on scene and carried out a search before returning to base.

Speaking after the callout, Gerry Canning, volunteer lifeboat press officer for Skerries RNLI, said: "Thankfully in this case our assistance wasn’t required. 

"However, the member of public had good intentions and we would always advise people to dial 999 and ask for the coastguard if they think they see someone in difficulty at sea."

#rnli – As Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) research reveals more fishermen die in January than in any other month of the year, the lifesaving charity has launched a hard-hitting campaign encouraging fishermen to make sure their boats keep them safe at sea – with an emotive advert due to be displayed around the town of Kilkeel.

The campaign features five short films which provide practical advice and use easy to follow animation. The films show how to keep fishing boats stable and highlight factors that lead to dangerous instability, with RNLI research showing that the majority of deaths in the commercial fishing industry occur when vessel stability is lost.

RNLI figures show that 59% of commercial fishing fatalities were due to a loss of vessel stability leading to capsize, leaking or swamping between 2010 and 2013 – with 30% of deaths occurring in the month of January when seas can be rough and water temperatures are at their lowest. The campaign is targeted at fishermen who work on vessels under 15m in length, as the majority of fishing-related fatal incidents (73%) occurred on fishing boats in this category.

The films cover five key areas that lead to boat instability: overloading, watertight integrity, free surface effect2, modifications and hauling.

The films, which are all under 10 minutes in length, feature experts Peter Duncan, lecturer from the Scottish Maritime Academy, and RNLI Fishing Safety Manager and former commercial fisherman Frankie Horne. They can be viewed at RNLI.org/stability.

Alexander McCauley volunteer lifeboat crew member from Kilkeel RNLI lifeboat station, who is also a commercial fisherman, said: 'I know just how demanding and dangerous commercial fishing can be, especially in rough conditions throughout the winter months. I'd encourage all fishermen to take a look at these films at RNLI.org/stability. They provide excellent, practical advice in an easy to digest format.

'It's easy to get complacent with boat safety checks and it can be very tempting to cut corners to maximise a haul. But these films highlight just how easily you can compromise your boat's stability by doing this, and the consequences can be fatal.'

Emotive adverts are also being used throughout the campaign, using the strapline 'Dad's gone fishing'. The powerful image used in the adverts shows coat hooks in a family home. The coats of mum and two young children are hanging up, but dad's coat is missing – he's failed to return home from fishing.

This advert will be displayed on an ad van driving around Kilkeel in early January. The hard-hitting advert will also appear on Facebook posts targeted at fishermen and their families and friends, in commercial fishing publications and websites.

In addition to the adverts, drinks glasses, coasters and coffee mugs have been produced to support the campaign and will be distributed to pubs and bars at fishing ports across the UK and the Republic of Ireland in January. These products feature key safety tips and point fishermen to the vessel stability films online at RNLI.org/stability.

Frankie Horne, RNLI Fishing Safety Manager, said: 'Data3 shows that, tragically, 49 fishermen died between 2009 and 2012 across the UK and Ireland. We hope that this campaign will help prevent further deaths at sea.

'The majority of these fatalities were fishermen working on boats under 15 metres long and 30% of deaths occurred in the month of January, when sea conditions are often very rough and the water temperature is dangerously low.'

The films offer tips and guidance on areas including:
Leaks, overloading and the free surface effect2 of a loose catch can all make a vessel unstable.
Keep your boat watertight by checking hatches are closed at sea.
Tie down loose kit and keep scuppers clear.
When modifying a fishing boat, get professional advice on stability first.
Cut the net if hauling in a heavy catch makes your boat list.

'I would also like to remind fishermen of the importance of wearing a personal floatation device. Our figures show that of all commercial fishing fatalities between 2010 and 2013, 59% of those who died were not wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid,' added Frankie Horne.

Between 2009 and 2013, RNLI lifeboats launched 2,555 times to incidents involving commercial fishing boats, rescuing 3,762 people.

1 RNLI-commissioned causal analysis of fatalities in waters around the UK and Republic of Ireland between the period 2010 and 2013.

2 Definition of free surface effect In a partly filled tank or fish hold, the contents will shift with the movement of the boat. This 'free surface' effect increases the danger of capsizing. The centre of gravity moves over to the side, making the vessel less stable.

3 Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) data 2009–12.

#rnli – Howth Lifeboat, one of the top five fundraising branches in the whole of the RNLI, has produced a seven minute youtube video to Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys are Back in Town' soundtrack, showing some great onboard action scenes from both allweather and inshore boats. The above vid is no longer publically available on youtube.

There is positive news too at the north Dublin station regarding the new pontoon berth for the All-Weather lifeboat alongside the boathouse slip. Permission has been granted and planning permission is to be applied for shortly. Installation is expected to take place during 2015.

Howth RNLI volunteers were recipients of a number of awards during the year, notably operations manager Rupert Jeffares who received a "bar" to his gold badge at an awards ceremony in the Barbican in London.

It was a tremendous year for fundraising with €141,916 raised, making it the second highest amount since 2007. 

Derek Evans  in the Irish Times has more on Howth lifeboat developments here

#RNLI - In the first callout of the year for Newcastle RNLI in Co Down, both lifeboats were launched in the early hours of Saturday morning (3 January) following reports of a missing male sighted near the beach close to Down Roads.

The inshore lifeboat crew were paged at 3.08am by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to assist local police and coastguard in their search for the missing man.

The inshore lifeboat arrived on scene within minutes to commence a search of the shoreline from the Shimna river mouth to Dundrum Bar.

In a moderate sea state with some big swells and a northwest Force 4-5 wind, the decision was made at 3.29am to launch the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) to assist with the search.

The ALB lifeboat crew stood by and provided cover as the inshore lifeboat manoeuvred its way through the surf. Both lifeboats used white parachute flares to illuminate the search area in poor weather conditions.

Both lifeboats were stood down at 4.35am and returned to station after the man was safely found on land.

Commenting on the callout, Newcastle RNLI helm Dylan Mooney said: "Thankfully the casualty was found safe and well on shore. It was great to put the new lifeboat through its paces once again.

"It handles well in the surf. We used night vision and the search light to help us see in the darkness."

Newcastle RNLI deputy launching authority Raymond Deery added: "We have a dedicated crew here at Newcastle that respond rapidly to the lifeboat pager no matter what the conditions."

The volunteer lifeboat crew for the inshore lifeboat were Dylan Mooney, Gary Agnew and Aaron Latus and on the all-weather lifeboat were Richard Herron, Alan Jones, Peter Uprichard, Fionnuala Niallais, Declan Barry, Daniel Rooney and Aidan Riley.

Shore crew were Paul Beeks, Brian Leneghan, Nathan Leneghan, Niall McMurray and Robert Latus.