Rescue 116 tragedy: History of the Irish Coast Guard
The service is considered one of the most progressive search-and-rescue organisations in the world with 1,000 volunteers from 47 bases around the country.
Units are located in coastal areas and inland waterways while volunteers work off a pager system, answering calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It has been estimated 800,000 man hours of service are performed by volunteers annually, with officers-in-charge (OIC) devoting up to 2,000 hours a year in direct service.
