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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Bangor Lifeboat Crew to Receive Freedom of the Borough
Bangor RNLI volunteers are to be awarded North Down Borough Councils highest honour for their heroic service. Bangor RNLI will be given the Freedom of the Borough on Saturday 18 September 2010 in tribute to its 45 years of sterling…
Lifeboat Assists Vessel with Engine Failure on Lough Derg
At 7.30pm tonight Lough RNLI Derg lifeboat towed a vessel to safety after it suffered engine failure. 15 minutes earlier the lifeboat was requested to launch to assist three persons in distress on board the 38ft motor cruiser. The lifeboat with…
Dempsey Applauds Irish Coast Guard as new TV Series Showcases Vital Rescue Service
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD today applauded the Irish Coast Guard service as a new TV series on Ireland's national search and rescue service begins on RTE 1 this evening. Speaking today, Minister Dempsey said: "This exciting new series…
Tanker Assists Dismasted Yacht
At quarter past eight this morning, Falmouth Coastguard was contacted by the master of the Motor Tanker Sea Marlin. The crew of the tanker had received on their VHF radio a pan pan urgency call. They were able to identify from…
International Honour for Irish Water Safety Official
The International Federation Of Swimming Teachers Associations (IFSTA) and Irish Water Safety (IWS) have announced the election of Jim Lawlor of Sligo as President West of IFSTA with responsibility for Europe, Africa, the Americas and Oceania at the World Conference…
Sailor Rescued from Burning Boat off Cork Coast
A lone sailor had just enough time to send out a Mayday Call last night before abandoning his blazing 28-ft pleasure craft nine miles east of Ballycotton Lighthouse on the Cork coast. Youghal and Ballycotton lifeboat stations responded to the…
Welsh Coastguard Evacuate Walkers
At twenty minutes past one this afternoon, Swansea Coastguard received a call from ambulance control requesting assistance to the aid of an injured walker. The lady had called 999 and requested the Welsh ambulance service, after they had taken the…
New Lifeboat for Portrush
The volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew at Portrush have taken delivery of a brand new state of the art Inshore lifeboat and have wasted no time in putting the new lifeboat through its paces. The new £30,000 lifeboat is named David…
Portrush Youngster Raises More Lifeboat Funds
Christy Bradley is Portrush Lifeboats youngest fundraiser and has carried out yet another fundraising event to pay for crew training! Christy has a special reason to be interested in raising funds for crew training as his dad Gerard is a…
Go Ahead for New Doolin Coastguard Station
Clare County Council granted planning permission for a €1.9 million coastguard station at Doolin. The new station will have capacity for three boats will be one of the biggest of its kind in Ireland. More from the Clare People HERE. 
Best Lifesavers in Ireland Set for Donegal Challenge
Ireland's top Lifeguards will compete at Irish Water Safety's National Surf Lifesaving Championships at Rossnowlagh Beach, Donegal from 10.30am to 5pm, Saturday 11th and from 10am-1pm, Sunday 12th Sept. Hundreds of competitors will gather from counties nationwide and teams of…
Galway Lifeboat Launches Twice with Boats in Difficulty
Galway RNLI lifeboat was called out to two separate incidents on Galway Bay yesterday when two boats got into difficulty, one near Barna with three people on board and the other near Galway Docks. The first incident involved a 30ft…
New Rescue Boat Launched for Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue Service
Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue Service in North Kerry officially launched their new Atlantic 75 rescue boat yesterday. After three years of negotiations and build time the 7.5 metre Rigid Inflatable Boat arrived earlier this year. After several months of…
Red Bay Crew in Line for '999 Hero Award'
Great to read this morning that the Red Bay RNLI lifeboat crew are in line for an award in the Belast Telegraph's 'Making The Difference Awards'. It is a new scheme to recognise those heroes across Northern Ireland whose stories never…
Coastguard to Carry Out Irish Sea Windfarm Exercise
The UK's Maritime & Coastguard Agency in conjunction with RWE npower renewables, the RNLI and RAF Search and Rescue, are due to exercise communications, co-ordination and response to a series of mock-maritime incidents in and around the wind turbines at…
Bundoran RNLI Pushes the Boat Out
This Saturday (4 September 2010) Bundoran RNLI lifeboat crew will literally be pushing the boat out to raise funds for the life saving charity.  They will be holding a boat push from Ballyshannon to Bundoran in Donegal and want people…

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.