Galway Civil Defence – Search – September 2013

3 October 2013

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Wednesday, 19 November 2014 .Home > News > Galway Civil Defence – Search – September 2013

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Galway Civil Defence – Search – September 2013

On the morning of Monday 23nd September 2013 Galway Civil Defence was alerted by a Superintendent at Salthill Garda Station of an 80yr old man suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, reported missing from a nursing home in Moycullen since the previous night.

Civil Defence members in Galway City and Oranmore were activated by SMS alert to meet at their respective training centres for transportation to the search location. 14 Volunteer members reported to their unit officers, arriving on site at 11.30am.

Gardaí and local residents had conducted an early morning search. Civil Defence members, along with members of the Costello Bay Coastguard joined in a noon search at the request of the An Garda Síochána. Galway Mountain Rescue Team subsequently joined in the operation. Search dogs from SARDA and An Gárda Síochána were also deployed for searching the thick growth in the area. The Shannon based helicopter Rescue 115 conducted an aerial search of the area.

A Co-ordination Centre was set up at the Nursing Home and the Civil Defence GPS radios used by members proved invaluable in plotting objectives for the day. The search was called off for the day at 7.15 pm with a resumption scheduled for 8.00am on Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, 24th September 17 Volunteer members from Galway City, Oranmore and Ballinasloe units reported for duty at the Co-ordination Centre in Moycullen, alongside the Galway Mountain RescueTeam , the Coastguard from Costello Bay and Cleggan and large groups of the public. All present were briefed and tasked to search areas with Civil Defence tasked search a difficult area at the rear of the nursing home which incorporated a farm with out-houses and a wooded area surrounding the home. At 12.45pm the casualty was located by members of the public involved in the search less than 1km from the nursing home, at the edge of a small wooded area. The casualty was responsive and in general good health. He was assessed by paramedics at the scene and evacuated by the Coastguard Helicopter to University Hospital Galway for observations.

All involved in the search were relieved at the excellent outcome. Superintendent Noel Kelly from Salthill Garda Station congratulated Civil Defence for the professionalism displayed over the duration of the search operation.

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