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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Sligo May RNLI Mayday appeal
#RNLIMayDay - Sligo Bay RNLI in Rosses Point is counting down this week to Mayday, the charity’s annual national fundraising campaign in Ireland. Now in its second year and running nationwide, from this Wednesday 1 to Bank Holiday Monday 6…
First Outing for Skerries RNLI's New Lifeboat
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI recorded its first service by its new inshore lifeboat on Sunday afternoon (21 April). SEE VIDEO BELOW The North Co Dublin lifeboat station's volunteer crew was requested to launch following a report that a vessel was adrift off Bettystown…
Howth Coast Guard Trains With Irish Red Cross
#Coastguard - Howth Coast Guard has blogged about its recent medical exercise with the Irish Red Cross. The multi-casualty medical training exercise involved lowering a number of qualified and trainee emergency medical technicians (EMTs) into Whitewater Brook by the heights…
Video of Joint Exercise on Dublin Bay Depicts Rescue of Boaters
#rnli – A joint exercise held in late March on Dublin Bay between the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard unit, the Irish Air Corps and the Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboats has been documented by Dun Laoghaire lifeboat crew. The scenario simulates…
Minister Welcomes New State–of–the–Art Cork Harbour Coastguard Station
#coastguard – Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has welcomed the opening of a new state-of-the-art Irish Coast Guard facility at Crosshaven in Co. Cork. The purpose-built facility was developed by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport…
Busy Saturday for RNLI on Lough Derg
#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI launched twice yesterday (21 April) on consecutive callouts to a vessel grounded at the Corrakeen Islands and a sinking cruiser at the northern end of the lake. Around 3.45pm yesterday, Valentia Coast Guard requested the…
Aran Islands RNLI Rescue Fishermen in Galway Bay
#RNLI - Aran Islands RNLI in Galway Bay assisted six fishermen from a 24m trawler yesterday Thursday 18 April. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 4.20pm following a report that a fishing vessel, the Archangel, with six…
Douglas RNLI Brings Shannon Class To Irish Sea
#RNLI - The Irish Sea will soon have one of the most advanced lifeboats in service as Douglas RNLI in the Isle of Man has been earmarked to receive one of the new Shannon class. The new design is 50%…
RNLI Crews Assist Windsurfer, Stricken Fishing Boat in Co Down
#RNLI - Portaferry RNLI rescued a windsurfer who got into difficulty off the Co Down coast yesterday (16 April). The volunteer crew launched their inshore lifeboat before 5pm yesterday evening to go the aid of the injured windsurfer reported to…
Speedboat on Rocks Leads to Lough Derg Lifeboat Rescue
#lifeboat – At 17.40hrs this evening Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg Lifeboat to launch to assist three people on board their 18ft speedboat, after they lost steerage and were pushed on to rocks by the entrance to the Scarriff…
Clifden RNLI To Trial New All-Weather Lifeboat
#RNLI - The RNLI has announced that Clifden lifeboat station in Co Galway is to receive an all-weather class lifeboat for a trial period of 12 months to operate in conjunction with the existing inshore lifeboat service. The decision, which…
Howth Coast Guard Assists Powerless Boat In Drogheda
#Coastguard - The Howth unit of the the Irish Coast Guard responded this weekend to a vessel that lost power at the mouth of the River Boyne. Howth's coastguard crew were undertaking helm training with a passage to the Drogheda…
Marine Notices: Hydrographic Survey Off Clare Coast; Waverider Buoy Off Mayo
#MarineNotice - Marine Notice No 15 of 2013 from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises mariners that a hydrographic and geophysical survey operation is being undertaken by INFOMAR for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland till 25…
EU-Wide Coastguard Would Tackle Drug Smugglers Says MEP
#Coastguard - Dublin MEP Gay Mitchell has called for the formation of a Europe-wide coastguard to tackle the scourge of drug smuggling, as Herald.ie reports. The Fine Gael MEP said that cocaine in particular "is still entering the EU from…
Station To Station Challenge Raises More Than €2,000 For RNLI
#RNLI - Two men who embarked on the first RNLI Station to Station challenge between Bundoran and Arranmore last Saturday (6 April) completed the job in just under 12 hours - raising over €2,000 for both lifeboat stations in the…
Minister to Open New Coast Guard Building in Crosshaven
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD will officiate at the opening of a new Coast Guard building tomorrow afternoon in Crosshaven. The purpose built facility will serve as a Base for Crosshaven Volunteer Coast Guard Unit,…

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.