MarineWatch volunteers help to save two lives at weekend
WEXFORD MarineWatch helped to save two lives at the weekend.
In the early hours of Sunday morning MarineWatch volunteers saw a person enter the water intentionally off the Quayfront opposite the Centenary Stores.
Volunteers who were nearby responded quickly and a throwbag which is a rescue rope was thrown to the individual, which they held onto.
The volunteers managed to get the person back alongside the Quayfront and assisted them out of the water while Emergency Services were contacted.
Volunteers provided primary care to the person with towels and blankets until an ambulance arrived. Two ambulances and the Gardai responded quickly to the incident and the casualty was taken into the care of the Emergency Services.
In an unrelated incident earlier that morning another volunteer team from MarineWatch were approached by a member of the public who expressed concern about a family member who had gone missing.
After receiving a description, volunteers eventually located the individual near the river and subsequently reunited them with their family.
Shortly afterwards in an unrelated incident, a second team observed a person In just under four years MarineWatch volunteers have saved a total of 98 lives.
Frank Flanagan of Wexford MarineWatch
said: ‘We were delighted at the quick response of our volunteers and the Emergency Services to this incident, which could just as easily had a tragic ending. The swift recovery of the person also meant there was no requirement for Wexford Lifeboat to launch, which would be the normal procedure in this instance. Our volunteers train regularly with the RNLI, carry several rescue devices and are trained in First Aid for exactly this reason. We wish the person well and hope they make a full recovery.
‘Anybody in difficulty can contact the Pieta House 24hrs a day on 1800 247247 or the Samaritans on 116123.’