Rescued in the nick of time
Mallow Search and Rescue volunteers brave raging Blackwater to rescue man
MEMBERS of the Mallow Search and Rescue Unit braved the flooded and fast flowing River Blackwater on Tuesday evening in a dramatic, life-saving rescue operation.
The drama unfolded at around 6pm after rising flood waters trapped a man in a disused pump-house he had been staying in close to the town park near the Ten-Arch Bridge in Mallow .
Unit chairman John Woulfe said the man had heard about potential flooding in the area but by the time he decided to get away the flood waters had risen dangerously high.
“The water rose very rapidly and caught him out. Thankfully, he had a flashlight and began signalling for help. A lady in the Dairygold car park saw this and, realising something was wrong, alerted a nearby council worker who in turn contacted the Gardaí and ourselves,” said Mr Woulfe.
Within 15 minutes a unit boat with three volunteers on board arrived at the scene and brought the man safely on board. Gardaí and the local fire brigade were also in attendance.
Mr Woulfe said that at the time the dangerously fast flowing main channel was 10-15 feet deeper than normal and the depth of water around the pump-house had reached six-feet and was rising.
“The conditions were so bad we decided to put a second boat into the river as a back up. Thank God the man had a flashlight and was able to signal for help,” said Mr Woulfe.
“With the waters rising as fast as they were, had the lady not seen his signal, the pump-house would have been completely submerged within a couple of hours. While the man lost all his possessions this situation could have easily developed into something far more tragic,” he added.