Volunteers patrol river in bid to prevent suicides

A GROUP of volunteers has begun patrolling the banks of the River Shannon in Limerick City.

To prevent people from taking their own lives.

The Countrywide Emergency Response Team was set up a year ago to help other rescue services search for missing people on both water and land.

Trevor Corbett, the team’s chief executive, said they had conducted night-time patrols of the river for the past four nights to try to prevent any incidents where people go into the water.

“We’ve been planning it for quite a while to have a patrol on the river because it’s a busy peak period at the moment.

“Basically it’s about preventative methods.

“We’ve people that have done the ASSIST course which trains them in ‘talking down people’. So we’re hoping to prevent incidents before they happen, but if it does happen we’ll have rescue swimmers ready to deploy straight away.”

From next week, the group will have a boat, donated by Mallow Search and Rescue, deployed on the river so members can be on the scene in seconds if someone does enter the water.

Similar patrols have also begun in Waterford, according to Mr Corbett.

“We’re supported by Limerick Marine Search and Rescue, the fire service, and the gardaí, and they’ll provide us with support too if anything happens. So, hopefully just having this presence here will deter further incidents but, if not, we will be there within seconds of anything happening.”

The river patrols have been operating between 10pm and 4.30am.

“One girl went into the river during Christmas, three days later another girl went in but she was taken out alive. The other morning, another guy went in at 9.30am and he was taken out [deceased] at 11.30am. So, we’ve had quiet a few incidents so far in recent days.”

The small unit is based in Raheen, Limerick, and has a crew of eight that will respond anywhere in the country where their help is needed.

Since they got together 12 months ago, members have aided search and rescue operations in Bray, Arklow, Portarlington, and Cork.

Mr Corbett said the group will need to raise about €4,000 to be able to carry out its service for at least the next six months.