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Greencastle to host Transatlantic
Search and Rescue Games
28.04.09
GREENCASTLE'S Coast
Guard team has scored a significant coup by landing
the first ever Transantlantic Search and Rescue
Games.
The games will take place in the local fishing
village next Sunday, May 3, and will involve search
and rescue competitors from the Irish and British
Coast Guard service, Lough Swilly RNLI; the
Community Rescue Service Northern Ireland; Foyle
Search and Rescue, Red Cross and volunteer rescuers
from Newfoundland in Canada.
Greencastle Coast Guard officer-in-charge, Charlie
Cavanagh, explained that the idea for the event came
about after members of the Irish Coast Guard
travelled, at their own expense, to take part in the
annual SARSCENE competition in Canada. A team from
Ireland has attended the last two competitions and
have attained an excellent record, finishing in the
top three teams each year. Last year, SARSCENE was
held in St John's, Newfoundland. |
"The Canadian team
taking part in the first Transatlantic Games in
Greencastle is the Avalon North Wolverines from Bay
Roberts, who were last year's SARSCENE winners and
current Canadian champions," said Charlie.
"Just as the event finished last year, the
Wolverines were called to a real-life incident, to
search for a missing hunter who was lost in the vast
forests of |
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North Avalon. The
hunter was still missing the next morning, so nine
Irish Coast Guard volunteers joined in a search from
first light. This search had a successful conclusion
when the hunter was found safe and well around
lunchtime. This is the most westerly search ever
conducted by Irish Coast Guard volunteers," added
Charlie. Next Sunday's games will pit volunteer
lifesavers against each other through friendly
competition in search and rescue exercises. The
competition will provide an avenue to exchange
information and ideas and a forum for the
participants to be recognised for their work as
dedicated volunteer lifesavers. A total of eight
teams will compete over a variety of competitions.
Teams will be tested on their core skills of
leadership, teamwork, first aid, communications,
compass and pacing, land search, map and chart work,
search planning, coordination and execution. Teams
will begin arriving from around the country on
Saturday, May 2, for a competition briefing. The
games will take place the following day between 11am
and 4pm in the Greencastle village area. For more
information, please contact Charlie Cavanagh on 086
2504826. |
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