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JP’s gift a real lifesaver

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25/08/2015 REPRO FREE RESCUE divers in Limerick, who aim to prevent suicides on the River Shannon, are to cut their response times to just 90 seconds, with the help of a new floating pontoon. Suicide attempts among men, women, and teenagers, has reached crisis levels in Limerick, with barely a week passing without someone jumping into the river. Limerick Marine Search and Rescue Service (LMSARS) launched a new Û70,000 floating pontoon on the city's quays, which will speed up the time it takes them to get to a drowning casualty. Tony Cusack,founding member of the service payed tribute to local philanthropist and horse racing tycoon JP McManus for fitting the bill for the new pontoon, Tony said: "It's been my dream for the service to have something like this for many years. I'd like to thank JP McManus for helping us. It means we will cut our response times to about 90 seconds." Limerick Marine Search and Rescue service crew members, Tom Cusack, and Jason Murphy set out from the new pontoon on a training drill. Picture: Alan Place/Fusionshooters.

by Bernie English [email protected]

WHEN philanthropist JP McManus provided funding for a pontoon in the river Shannon for the Limerick Marine Search and Rescue (LMSR) service, he gave a lot more than money.

The vital facility allows the dedicated volunteers to cut response time in an emergency  to a minute and a half – the 90 seconds that could make the difference between rescuing a person and recovering a body.

The floating pontoon, was built with a donation from the businessman’s charitable fund, cost €70,000 to build but it is priceless in the eyes of the LMSR team.

The new facility at Poorman’s Kilkee provides access to the main areas of the river and the service can now moor two boats there on a permanent basis.

The team recovered ten bodies  from the river last year and were called out 250 times in the last five years. LMSR Chairman Tony Cusack said they are anxious to concentrate on effecting more rescues and this is where the pontoon will play a vital role.

“We won’t have to launch a boat and that will save us vital time. Every minute, every second matters when someone is in difficulty in the water,” he told the Limerick Post

He said they were very grateful to JP McManus.

“This is the third time we have asked him for help and each time he’s been so generous to us. This will save precious minutes when someone goes in the water”, he explained.

Mr Cusack, who has been serving with the Search and Rescue for thirty years, is joined on the team by his son, Tom, who says his dad was the inspiration for him to sign up.
“The low point is recovering people and the effect that has on the families afterwards. You never get used to that,” said Tom

“99 per cent of people who go to the river have suicidal intentions – that’s a just a fact. I would appeal to people who are having difficulty to get help. Talk to family, talk to professionals. And I would say to family members and friends, watch for signs that someone is in trouble and talk to them before we have to be called out”, he said.

 

 

Bernie English
Bernie Englishhttp://www.limerickpost.ie
Bernie English has been working as a journalist in national and local media for more than thirty years. She worked as a staff journalist with the Irish Press and Evening Press before moving to Clare. She has worked as a freelance for all of the national newspaper titles and a staff journalist in Limerick, helping to launch the Limerick edition of The Evening Echo. Bernie was involved in the launch of The Clare People where she was responsible for business and industry news.
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