River Rescue - Sat 1st March

SoapMcTavish

Hey guys, caught this on film last saturday ( Not a good camera for movies - sorry )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnw8qqcD-oI

Kess73

I never lose my sense of admiration for those involved in rescuing others.


The search & rescue folk, the helicopter crews, the fire departments etc. All are people who simply do not get enough praise, and do not get the resources they deserve.


Amazing work they do. The fact that they know that each time they get called out that they may have to risk their own life to rescue another life is truly heroic.

Never mind wasting money on renaming bridges or any other vanity projects, take that money and pump it into getting better equipment for the men and women whose calling makes a genuine difference.

893bet

That clip is filled with sadness and heroism.

Assuming the lady had jumped in (perhaps not) then I hope she is ok. She has a second chance to decide now I guess.

zulutango

The guy in the boat is from St. Michael's Rowing Club. Deserves a lot of credit for getting there and pulling the person out.

Aneron

Here's the helicopter:

irishproduce

Did they save her? Obviously yeah??
I couldn't make out when they rescued anyone to be honest. Can anyone point out the time on the clip?

Agent_99

She was lifted on to the boat by the firefighter just after they emerge from under the bridge.

Very brave man, he should receive a commendation from the city, too many people losing their lives in the river.

kippy

Agree with everything said here already.
I caught this story just after it happened via a friend on Facebook and was heartened by the response for the emergency services.
Every day these people can be asked to risk their lives for someone else. They don't care who that person is or how they got in that situation, they just do what needs to be done.
Jumping into the Shannon, no matter what the circumstances to save someone is brave but at that particular spot, at a time when it is as flooded as it ever has been, an act of exceptional bravery.

All too often we forget about the people that are there waiting for the rest of us to make a mistake or end up in a bad situation. They generally work long and awkward hours, are faced with equipment and often training issues and dont have a lot of the comforts the rest of us with a "normal" job have.
That guy and loads more like him that do similiar on a regular basis deserve a lot more respect, praise and comfort than a lot of sections of society feel they are entitled to.

irishproduce

It is worth noting I think that this wasn't just a case of a brave fireman jumping into the river. He was part of a specially trained unit with specialist equipment which meant he could perform the rescue appropriately.
I only say this because it would be very dangerous and ill advised for anyone to just jump into river to try to rescue someone after seeing that video.
Well done to them though, got it done with great precision.

kippy

irishproduce wrote: »

It is worth noting I think that this wasn't just a case of a brave fireman jumping into the river. He was part of a specially trained unit with specialist equipment which meant he could perform the rescue appropriately.
I only say this because it would be very dangerous and ill advised for anyone to just jump into river to try to rescue someone after seeing that video.
Well done to them though, got it done with great precision.

Indeed, however training or not, jumping into a river carries a large portion of risk to owns own safety.

Delphi91

irishproduce wrote: »

Did they save her? Obviously yeah??
I couldn't make out when they rescued anyone to be honest. Can anyone point out the time on the clip?

Have a look around 1:35 after the small boat has come upriver under the bridge. You'll see a white object heading towards the boat. The guy in the boat then goes to the front of the boat, reaches down and grabs the person - at least I assumed that was her.

SoapMcTavish

Should add some clarity ...

http://www.rightthisminute.com/video/fireman-receives-bravery-award-nomination-daring-river-rescue

Delphi91

SoapMcTavish wrote: »

Should add some clarity ...

http://www.rightthisminute.com/video/fireman-receives-bravery-award-nomination-daring-river-rescue

Excellent!!!!!

Precious flower

The firefighter was so modest about it too saying that they do this everyday, are trained to do this and his jump only received attention because someone had a camera. As true as that is, it still takes serious bravery to do it I think. He still should be very proud!:) They should all be proud!

Vinz Mesrine

Things like this make me so proud of my uncle who is a firefighter in Limerick. He was telling me about this incident and the bravery from this guy is just incredible.

Split

Fantastic by all involved- well done to the firefighter - his duty or not he should be given his own civil reception for bravery . Hopefully this woman now gets the appropriate supports and finds hope in life .

MarkR

SoapMcTavish wrote: »

Should add some clarity ...

http://www.rightthisminute.com/video/fireman-receives-bravery-award-nomination-daring-river-rescue

Scarsfield bridge.

panda100

I'm really not sure that I like how this is being reported. People saying its 'fantastic' what he did. It's unclear to me if this women fell in or it was a suicidal attempt, but if it is the latter than I feel very uncomfortable with calling this an act of heroism.

893bet

panda100 wrote: »

I'm really not sure that I like how this is being reported. People saying its 'fantastic' what he did. It's unclear to me if this women fell in or it was a suicidal attempt, but if it is the latter than I feel very uncomfortable with calling this an act of heroism.

I dont see how that makes a difference? Pretty brave and heroic regardless.

grimbergen

panda100 wrote: »

I'm really not sure that I like how this is being reported. People saying its 'fantastic' what he did. It's unclear to me if this women fell in or it was a suicidal attempt, but if it is the latter than I feel very uncomfortable with calling this an act of heroism.

Can you clarify this - are you saying she should have been allowed to die because it was a suicide attempt?

and just how is the fireman supposed to clarify himself the womans reasons for being in the water?

dmc17

panda100 wrote: »

I'm really not sure that I like how this is being reported. People saying its 'fantastic' what he did. It's unclear to me if this women fell in or it was a suicidal attempt, but if it is the latter than I feel very uncomfortable with calling this an act of heroism.

It's not like he had time to carry out an investigation as to why she was in there before he went in. And it makes no difference either way with regard to him. He went above and beyond to help someone and if that's not worthy of recognition then we're all fcuked.

phill106

panda100 wrote: »

I'm really not sure that I like how this is being reported. People saying its 'fantastic' what he did. It's unclear to me if this women fell in or it was a suicidal attempt, but if it is the latter than I feel very uncomfortable with calling this an act of heroism.

Hero is a hero, no matter how the victim came to be in the situation.

relaxed

panda100 wrote: »

I'm really not sure that I like how this is being reported. People saying its 'fantastic' what he did. It's unclear to me if this women fell in or it was a suicidal attempt, but if it is the latter than I feel very uncomfortable with calling this an act of heroism.

Bit of a weird statement, his job is to jump into icy swollen rivers and try rescue people, not to do a mental profile on them first to decide whether to bother or not.

Same as the people operating on John Gilligan the other night didn't question how he landed on their table with multiple bullets in him and debate whether he was worth saving or not.

panda100

I don't have an issue with what the man did. He was doing his job, and did it extremely well in dangerous conditions.

Personally, I just find peoples reactions and the media's discourse around this 'event' a bit unsettling. For me, at the centre of this was not a 'fantastic' thing to see, but a women who was so desperate that she wanted to die. I work right beside the river, so I know that this is not an isolated incident. There are desperate people hoping to end their lives on a weekly basis. Yet, nothing is ever spoken about these people. We applaud the firefighters and suicide patrol for doing their job, yet there is no discourse or even acknowledgment of why so many people are desperate to leave this world.

I also believe , and I know this is controversial, but if someone chooses that they want to die then what right does someone else have for physically stopping someone from carrying out that right.

dmc17

panda100 wrote: »

I also believe , and I know this is controversial, but if someone chooses that they want to die then what right does someone else have for physically stopping someone from carrying out that right.

Well, you have 2 options. You leave them in the river or you pull them out. If you leave them in there and find out later that they fell in to the river by accident and didn't want to end their life, what do you do?

thesimpsons

I know of someone who went into the water many years ago. however, soon as they were past the point of saving themselves they `woke up' and realised they didn't want this at all. Luckily enough someone saw them and rescued the person. It was a desperate cry for help, the help was given and taken and almost 30 years later this person is still with us having a very fulfilling and fruitful life. sometimes people are just crying for help and attention, the don't really mean to take their life

relaxed

panda100 wrote: »

I don't have an issue with what the man did. He was doing his job, and did it extremely well in dangerous conditions.

Personally, I just find peoples reactions and the media's discourse around this 'event' a bit unsettling. For me, at the centre of this was not a 'fantastic' thing to see, but a women who was so desperate that she wanted to die. I work right beside the river, so I know that this is not an isolated incident. There are desperate people hoping to end their lives on a weekly basis. Yet, nothing is ever spoken about these people. We applaud the firefighters and suicide patrol for doing their job, yet there is no discourse or even acknowledgment of why so many people are desperate to leave this world.

I also believe , and I know this is controversial, but if someone chooses that they want to die then what right does someone else have for physically stopping someone from carrying out that right.

There is plenty being done. As just one example last years darkness into light event in Limerick attracted over 6000 people at 4.15 in morning!

What do you expect people to do?

What are you doing yourself for these people?

Kess73

panda100 wrote: »

I don't have an issue with what the man did. He was doing his job, and did it extremely well in dangerous conditions.

Personally, I just find peoples reactions and the media's discourse around this 'event' a bit unsettling. For me, at the centre of this was not a 'fantastic' thing to see, but a women who was so desperate that she wanted to die. I work right beside the river, so I know that this is not an isolated incident. There are desperate people hoping to end their lives on a weekly basis. Yet, nothing is ever spoken about these people. We applaud the firefighters and suicide patrol for doing their job, yet there is no discourse or even acknowledgment of why so many people are desperate to leave this world.

I also believe , and I know this is controversial, but if someone chooses that they want to die then what right does someone else have for physically stopping someone from carrying out that right.

The flip side of all that is that by being rescued the woman may end up getting the attention and help she needs, if in fact she needed it in the first place (I say that because I am still unaware as to whether she entered the water by choice or by accident).


But regardless of the circumstances that led to the women being in the water, the reactions of those trying to rescue her have to be held in the highest possible esteem. There were high levels of skill and raw courage on show, not to mention compassion.

Every single person that went into, over or onto the water did so with the sole intention of trying and help that woman. They were not doing it for kudos, they were not doing it to self gain, they were doing it to try and save another human being.

They did not know what the circumstances were that led to the women being in the water, all they saw was a person in danger and they were willing to put themselves in just as much danger to try and change that.


As for the rest of your post, well I do think that things have improved with regards to the discussion of depression/suicide, and I do think that a lot more needs to be done, but that has no bearing on what the responders did. When they are called out, they have only one aim, and that is to do their upmost to bring the person in the water out alive.

As for your controversial opinion, well I actually don't think it is all that controversial. For certain circumstances I know I would find myself agreeing with such an opinion.

SoapMcTavish

The lady got into the boat - that shows a will for life - so I think that Eli Brace's efforts were very worthwhile and enormously heroic ...


And huge credit due to all the others involved also - Especially the chap from St. Michaels Rowing club and the Air rescue guy dangling in crazy backwash above a very fast flowing river.

Split

As someone involved in the field of prevention - I believe that taking her out of the water gives her a chance to view her life and see that their is a possibility for receovery. It allows her to see that people genuinely do care and that their is supports . That the feeling can end without dying by suicide .

As a family devastated by suicide , I only wish that my loved ones had heros such as Eli to come to their aid in their most desperate minute of need . In regards your controversial little bit - in some senses I agree with you - what right do we have to stop someone ? - for me I would have to say the right we have is to let them see even the tiniest flicker of hope and let them see they are not alone . We cannot restrain someone or lock them in a safe room indefinitely but we have to at least step forward and give them the support , love and options to continue with life . How many people have died by suicide as a result of a pain they felt could never leave them , a relationship break-up that they could not understand or cope with , a feeling of loneliness even if this was not the case .

To the lady in question should you ever read this -
You never have to be alone with your thoughts - their is supports out there for you . If you ever need to find some , drop me a private message here . We are all talking about you here - but most of us are talking because we give a crap and care for you . I hope that you begin to see a little hope and that each day gets brighter for you .

Vinz Mesrine

The rescue chopper and fire brigade were out again this evening, does anyone know why? I hope it was just a training exercise