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TAXI DRIVERS in Limerick will be now taking their eyes off the meter to focus on saving someone?s life.

Staff with Treaty Cabs on Davis Street have undertaken throwbag training with Waterford Marine Search & Rescue, and are believed to be the first taxi drivers in the country to adopt this new skill. The drivers trained in the water to save someone?s life if they?re in difficulty, and learned how to talk to people in crisis situations. They hope now that other taxi drivers in Limerick will follow suit, and join them in preventing tragedies from occurring in the River Shannon. Jude Williams said that with over 800 taxi drivers working in Limerick their industry has a real chance to save lives and assist Limerick Marine Search & Rescue. Tara Williams, also a volunteer with Limerick Search & Rescue, said they plan to set up a Facebook page to encourage other drivers to avail of this training. ?The aim is to get this going all over the country. It was started in Waterford and we?re the first taxi company to do this, and hopefully it?ll take off from here.? Taxi driver Alfie Earls said it?s not merely a case of throwing the throwbag into the river; it?s also important to have the physical strength to be able to pull someone from the river. On Christmas Eve Aflie phoned the garda? after seeing a man on the bridge, who was later talked down. ?There?s nobody in Limerick that doesn?t know someone who has had somebody in the river. If we can help in any way it would be fantastic,? he said. Jimmy Connors, of Limerick Marine Search & Rescue, said ?the more people that are aware of the tragedies happening in the river the better. ?The taxi drivers are on the road 24/7 and they will come across things first that we mightn?t know anything about. We?re fully supportive of the taxi association, well done to them.? The training takes just two hours and those who complete it will receive a throwbag to carry in their car, a certificate and a sticker for the vehicle, for a fee of ?30.

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New Search and Rescue Base for Waterford City “Buy a Brick” campaign

  Waterford Marine Search and Rescue have started a fundraising campaign “Buy a Brick” to purchase a new search and rescue base in Waterford City. The base will be fitted out with a search and rescue operations room, conference room, training room, equipment storage area, canteen, showers and toilets. If someone goes missing there is nowhere safe for the family to go while the search continues. The new base will give people somewhere to rest, so they can be updated with events as they unfold, be it 2 O Clock in the day or 2 O Clock in the morning. Please show your support and donate what you can to this campaign. Thank you so much for your support from all the crews. You can donate €4.00 from your mobile phone by texting WMSAR to 50300.100% of your donation goes to WMSAR across most network operators. Some operators apply VAT which means a minimum of 3.25 will go to WMSAR. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline:0766805278.Please note that you can only text the keyword to 50300 once every 24 hours. Any other attempts to donate within a 24 hour time period will not be recognised by our system.

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Search for a 36 year old Italian man, living in Kilkenny, Ireland

A Search operation was launched at 17:00 on the 08/01/2015 has now entered Day 67 WMSAR teams were tasked by Irish Coast Guard earlier this evening to a report of a person entering the water from Suir Bridge. Volunteers were on a training exercise at the time and responded immediately, despite worsening weather conditions.?A search of the area was conducted in coordination with Rescue 117, WCRR, and Waterford City Fire Service. All volunteers have now been stood down for the night and operations will continue in the morning. Garda? are appealing to anyone who was travelling on the bypass or bridge at around 5pm and who saw anything to contact them on 051 305300. This has been the longest search and recovery operation in recorded history on the River Suir. WMSAR crews have searched consecutively for 67 days since the 08/01/2015. The search was stood down without any results on Sunday the 15th of March 2015.

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Donal O Connor Memorial Cycle Sat 12th Sept 2015

Hi all, This September the 4th Annual Donal O’ Connor 7km Memorial cycle in aid of the Waterford Marine Search & Rescue takes place from Kingfisher Club, Tramore Road to the Tramore Gaa grounds. The Cycle will take place on Sat 12th Sept 2015 to help create awareness of World Suicide Prevention Day to raise funds for Waterford Marine Search & Rescue   There will be a water stop at the halfway house en route and @ the Gaa grounds there will be refreshments, music, face painting @ an opportunity to sponsor a ?2 memorial balloon release to commemorate all those loved and lost to suicide. Registration starts @10:30 cycle starts @ 11:30 & its only ?10 adult, ?5 child & Families are ?20. We will be releasing the balloons around two pm. So get your cycling legs going this week, oil up that chain and shine up those cycling helmets on and PLEASE come support this worthy cause And raise awareness around suicide! http://www.facebook.com/groups/194533107565/    

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Race Night

In AID of Waterford Marine Search and RescueNew Search and Rescue Base Will be held in Dooley’s Hotel on the quays in waterford City on Friday the 5th of July at 8:00pm. Come on down for what will be a great night with 10 fun packed races and spot prizes

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Annual Raffle 2014 05/12/2014

Tickets go on sale today for Waterford Marine Search and Rescue’s Annual Draw. Priced at ?2 each or 3 tickets for ?5, giving you a chance to win a ?500 holiday voucher, a Champagne cruise on the river Suir, shopping vouchers and many many more fantastic prizes. Crews will be at various other locations throughout the City and County over the coming months, do stop by and say hello.