Search Training at Rush Beach

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This morning, under the bright Winter sun, the Skerries Coast Guard team were out in force at the South Beach, Rush for some search & rescue training.

The search scenario centred on the extensive South Beach area and was built on the scenario of two persons reported missing in the area. Both search teams successfully searched their respective areas and the missing targets were quickly located.

The team also refreshed their off-road driving with some task based exercises along the shoreline.

Further photos of the exercise are available in our online photo gallery.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty along the coast, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save their life.

 

Recovery of liferaft – 26th October 2012

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This afternoon, the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked by the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Operations Centre to recover a liferaft at Skerries. The fully deployed liferaft was recovered from the vicinity of Colt Island, not far off the Skerries coast, by the Skerries lifeboat.

The Skerries Coast Guard team took possession of and examined the 4 man SeaGo liferaft. From the extensive damage sustained, the liferaft appeared to have been at sea for some time. The team passed the serial number and other identifiable markings to the Coast Guard operations centre who are in the process of tracing the liferaft’s owner.

Incident # 14 of 2012

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, even if you only think they may be in difficulty, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save their life.

Skerries Coast Guards to star in National Geographic Channel documentary

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Skerries Coast Guard were recently requested to partake in filming for a documentary “Le monde vu du train” for the French TV channel, Voyage – part of the National Geographic Channel and Fox Group. The team met with Director Olivier Weber and his film crew as they travelled the East coast of Ireland. Filming took place at the Skerries Coast Guard station and also out on patrol with the team at the nearby picturesque fishing village of Loughshinny.

The Skerries Coast Guard team were interviewed about various subjects including the important role of the Irish Coast Guard and its coastal rescue teams, typical incidents the Coast Guard responds to and the dangers posed by the local coastline. Olivier had previously featured the French Coast Guard in earlier documentaries and was keen to include the Irish Coast Guard in this latest one.

For more information on this TV documentary series, visit their website.

Skerries Coast Guard –  a voluntary rescue unit of the Irish Coast Guard

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save their life.

EPIRB adrift – 5th October 2012

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Shortly after 18:00 this evening, the Coast Guard’s Maritime Operations Centre received a report of an Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon (EPIRB) adrift near Skerries. A member of the public had spotted and fortunately retrieved the EPIRB drifting at the water’s edge on the Skerries coast and immediately notified the Coast Guard.

These EPIRBS are carried on vessels as a means of alerting the Coast Guard should the vessel be in distress. For useful advice and information on EPIRBS, visit the Safety on the Water website by clicking here. The Department’s Marine Notice #8 of 2006 also has useful guidance on the correct operation of EPIRBS.

Thankfully, this was an old and correctly deactivated EPIRB and no false distress alert was transmitted. The Coast Guard did manage to identify and contact the EPIRB’s owner; a local fisherman who confirmed that the decommissioned EPIRB had been reported stolen some months previously. The Skerries Coast Guard team successfully repatriated the EPIRB with its owner.

Incident #13 of 2012

Skerries Coast Guard – a voluntary rescue unit of the Irish Coast Guard.