Kildare Civil Defence Search Activity – Kilteel, Naas, Co. Kildare

31 October 2012

Kildare Civil Defence was activated to assist in a search for a missing 18 year old man on Tuesday 23rd October 2012. Civil Defence met with the Gardaí & Wicklow & Dublin Mountain Rescue in the Community Hall in Kilteel and formulated a search plan. Once a plan had been formulated for the rest of the day 15 Civil Defence Volunteers commenced the search with the Gardaí and approximately 70 civilian searchers. The search was in the environs of Kilteel which borders counties Dublin and Wicklow.

The first few days of the search was conducted in heavy fog and misty conditions. Kildare Civil Defence acquired Hi-Viz Jackets from the Road Safety Officer in Kildare County Council for the civilian searchers to ensure their safety while assisting with the search. A number of farms fields, outbuildings, quarries and forests were searched over rough terrain. The Community Hall was utilised to host meetings each morning between Gardaí and Kildare Civil Defence in relation to search areas to be conducted on each given day.

On Wednesday 24th October the Civil Defence numbers searching rose to 45, including teams from Dublin, Laois and Kilkenny as well as the Kildare unit. The Wicklow and Dublin Mountain Rescue had a team of 20 on the day and they assisted in the search alongside Civil Defence, Gardaí and the civilian searchers. On Thursday 25th and Friday 26th October Kildare Civil Defence with 20 volunteers on each day continued the search with approximately 50 civilian searchers and Gardaí.

Kildare Civil Defence requested assistance from Dublin, Meath, Kilkenny, Laois, Waterford City and Wicklow for the search on Saturday 27th October. On Saturday 27th October a total of 107 Civil Defence Volunteers, 60 Wicklow & Dublin Mountain Rescue, 145 civilians and a number of Gardaí assisted in the search including the Civil Defence K9 Search Dogs from Meath and Laois. The search finished at 5pm. Following a meeting with the Gardaí and Mountain Rescue that evening it was agreed that the search of all surrounding areas had been exhausted and that Kildare Civil Defence would be remain on stand-by for call-out in the event of any new information being made available.

The Kilteel Community provided much of the welfare for all participants for the duration of the search except on Saturday when Kildare Civil Defence provided the Catering Unit with crew for the provision of hot food on the day.

The body was located on Monday afternoon 29th October – may he rest in peace.

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