Campaign highlights water danger

THE Irish Coast Guard recently ran a water safety event off the shores of Clontarf to promote the use of lifejackets when on or near the water.

The demonstration, which was performed mostly by Howth Coast Guard units and Helicopter Rescue 116, involved two people falling into the water, one with and one without a lifejacket. The aim was to display the difference in levels of panic that occurs in both situations.

According to the Irish Coast Guard, two in five people who drown have no intention to be on or in the water. 

Unfortunately around 140 people drown every year in Irish waters so wearing your lifejacket, even if you are near the water, cannot be emphasised enough. 

Fergus Cooney, from Howth Coast Guard, described the atmosphere of the two drills as “completely different”.

Although the first drill with a person wearing the lifejacket wasn’t without some form of anxiousness, Mr Cooney said the second drill had more panic because it was known that the person in the water wasn’t able to stay afloat for long so they had to act much quicker. 

“The whole focus the person had for the two or three minutes in the water was to just struggle to stay afloat,” he said. 

“The struggle of having their clothes on weighed them down because they absorbed the water and (it) completely limited them to being any way comfortable in the water in order to lean back and call for help.  

“They’re in the water and they are literally fighting for their lives. They have to decide whether to take off their clothes to stay afloat or just start calling for help but usually in two or three minutes, the game is over for them.”

The water temperature in Ireland in summer is approximately 12 degrees. Mr Cooney said this is still very cold. For someone also dealing with the shock of the cold water, it will dramatically reduce the chances of making it out alive without a lifejacket.

The Irish Coast Guard have heard all the excuses for not wearing lifejackets before but in reality accidents happen so it is imperative that people wear one, whatever the circumstances are. 

As well as hoping to drive home the message of ‘Staying Afloat’, the Irish Coast Guard Campaign – ‘No Life Jacket? No Excuse’ – also urges people to ‘Stay Connected’.

This involves having a device like a VHF radio, a flare or even a whistle if you are near the shore to get the attention of someone who can either help you themselves or contact someone who can.

The Irish Coast Guard is appealing to anyone who sees someone in difficulty in the water, by a cliff or at the beach, to call 112 or 999 without hesitating. If it turns out to be false alarm, that’s fine but stalling for only a few seconds could make a vital difference.

REPORT: Brein McGinn