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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Holyhead Coastguard Operations Centre (CGOC) Becomes part of New HM Coastguard Network
#coastguard – Holyhead Coastguard Operations Centre (CGOC) is to become part of the new Coastguard national network for the very first time this week. Work has been carried out at the search and rescue coordination centre to upgrade the technology…
Plane 'Cargo Hold Fire Alert' Leads to Kilrush Lifeboat Call Out
#rnli – An early morning airline alert for Kilrush RNLI lifeboat gave its new Lifeboat Operations Manager her first callout in charge. Newly appointed Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM) at Kilrush RNLI, Pauline Dunleavy, had her first callout in charge of…
Missing Woman Sparks Red Bay & Portrush RNLI Lifeboat Search
#rnli – Red Bay and Portrush RNLI lifeboat launched in challenging conditions this morning to aid in search for missing woman on the North Coast of Ireland. In freezing conditions both Red Bay and Portrush RNLI lifeboat crews launched to…
Baltimore Lifeboat Aids Fisherman Overcome With Fumes
#rnli – Baltimore inshore lifeboat was called to give assistance when a medical emergency occurred on board a 75ft fishing vessel in Roaring Water Bay, West Cork last night. The two crew on board had been pumping the vessel bilges…
Runner Pops The Question At RNLI Reindeer Run
#RNLI - In what was a first for the RNLI Reindeer Run, there was a marriage proposal at last Sunday’s (30 November) event in Marlay Park to raise funds for Ireland's lifeboat service. Conor Hayes, a native of Tipperary, chose…
Newcastle RNLI Receive First Callout for New Lifeboat Hours After its Arrival
#rnli – The volunteer lifeboat crew at Newcastle RNLI got to put their new inshore lifeboat through its paces yesterday (Thursday 4 December) when it was requested to launch hours after arriving at station. The callout came at 6.04am in…
Letters Of Commendation For Wicklow Lifeboat Crew In Summer Rescue
#RNLI - Alan Goucher and Graham Fitzgerald, volunteer crew at Wicklow Lifeboat Station, have received letters of commendation from George Rawlinson, operations director of the RNLI, for their quick actions in a rescue over the summer. As previously reported on…
DLRCoCo Staff Donate HUG Funds to RNLI Dun Laoghaire
#rnli – The Staff of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) selected Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboat as the beneficiary of the 2014 Hope You Give (HUG) charity fund paid into over the year by the staff of DLRCC.Above, Mary Kennefick, representing HUG…
Marine Notice: Site Investigation Works At Rossaveal Fishery Harbour Centre
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport advises that site investigation works are being carried out at Rossaveal Fishery Harbour Centre on Galway Bay. The work comprises drilling multiple boreholes at a series…
Lack of Lifejacket Key In Lobsterman's Death Says MCIB Report
#MCIB - Wearing a personal flotation device could have helped save the life of a fisherman whose body was found at the Saltee Islands off Co Wexford this summer months after his disappearance, according to marine accident investigators. As RTÉ…
Lough Swilly RNLI Gets Preview Of New Shannon-Class Lifeboat
#RNLI - Three members of Lough Swilly RNLI recently made a very special trip to check on the progress of the station’s new state-of-the-art Shannon-class lifeboat. The group visited Lymington in England, where the finishing touches are being put to…
Surveyor Airlifted After Kerry Coastal Fall
#Rescue - The Irish Examiner reports on yesterday's (24 November) airlifting of a man injured in a fall at Kerry Head. The casualty was one of three people undertaking survey work at the water level for the Ordnance Survey Ireland,…
Howth Coast Guard Seeks New Recruits
#Coastguard - Howth Coast Guard in North Co Dublin has announced it is recruiting new members to volunteer in and respond to cliff and coastal emergencies in the local area. No experience is required and all training is provided, but…
Wicklow Lifeboat Assists Fishing Vessel
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched yesterday morning (Sunday 23 November) to assist a fishing vessel with mechanical problems seven miles north of Wicklow Harbour. The lifeboat, under the command of second coxswain Ciaran Doyle, located the 10-metre vessel…
Castletownbere Lifeboat Crew Honoured At National Water Safety Awards
#RNLI - Two members of Castletownbere’s RNLI lifeboat crew were honoured at Irish Water Safety’s national award ceremony in Dublin Castle this week. Lifeboat mechanic Martin O’Donoghue and crewmember and Garda Dave Fenton, together with his colleague Garda Caroline Guest,…
MCIB Issues Report On Fisherman's Death By Head Injury On 'FV Liberty'
#MCIB - Poor adherence to various safety regulations made worse the situation in which a fisherman died of severe head injury off Cork in February last year, according to an official report into the incident. As previously reported on Afloat.ie,…

Every Year Ireland's Search & Rescue Services deliver emergency life saving work on our seas, lakes and rivers.

Ireland's Water Safety Agencies work hard to provide us with the information we need to keep safe, while enjoying all manner of water based activities.

There's no better fun than getting out on the water but being afloat is a responsibility we all need to take seriously.

These pages detail the work of the rescue agencies. We also aim to promote safety standards among pleasure boaters, and by doing so, prevent, as far as possible, the loss of life at sea and on inland waters. If you have ideas for our pages we'd love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected]

Think Before You Sink - Wear a Lifejacket

Accidents can happen fast on water and there may not be time to reach for a lifejacket in an emergency therefore don't just carry a lifejacket - wear it; if it's not on you, it can't save your life.

Irish Water Safety's Safe Boating Alert:

Check condition of boat and equipment, hull, engine, fuel, tools, torch.

Check the weather forecast for the area.

Check locally concerning dangerous currents and strong tides.

Do not drink alcohol while setting out or during your trip.

Carry an alternative means of propulsion e.g. sails and oars or motor and oars.

Carry a first aid kit on board and distress signals (at least two parachute distress rockets, two red hand flares).

Carry a fire extinguisher, a hand bailer or bucket with lanyard and an anchor with rope attached.

Carry marine radio or some means of communication with shore.

Do not overload the boat - this will make it unstable.

Do not set out unless accompanied by an experienced person.

Leave details of your planned trip with someone ashore - including departure and arrival times, description of boat, names of persons on board, etc.

Wear a Lifejacket at all times.

Keep an eye on the weather - seek shelter in good time.

In Marine Emergencies, call 999 or 112 and ask for Marine Rescue.

Lifejackets Checklist

Ensure Cartridges have not been punctured and are secured firmly.

Ensure all zips, buckles, fasteners and webbing straps are functioning correctly and adjusted to fit the user.

Check that fitted lights are operating correctly.

Ensure that Automatic Inflation devices are fully serviced and in date.

Check that the valve or lifejacket is not leaking.