Clare – Search & Rescue, 4th March 2020

5 March 2020

At 8.45pm on Wednesday 4th March, Clare Civil Defence was activated by An Garda Síochána assist in the search for Father and Daughter reported missing in a densely wooded area approximately six miles from Ennis.  The Father had contacted Gardaí to explain that they had become disorientated while out walking, and had no idea where they were at the time of the phone call but had entered into a flooded area.

Fortunately a member of Clare Civil Defence lives close to where the missing persons were walking and has an extensive knowledge of the area.

At 9.15pm an initial recce team of three members were dispatched to the woods to meet with the member with local knowledge.  An initial quick search plan was formulated.  This team donned SFFR gear and conducted an initial search using the last known location of the missing pair.

At 9.40pm the follow-up search team of 15 members arrived on scene and began lighting up the area whilst the search manager formulated a search plan with the Civil Defence Officer and the recce team on the initial search.

Shortly after 10pm the recce team located the missing persons in an area identified by the member with local knowledge. At 10. 30pm the Father and Daughter were returned to the staging area for the search and assessed by the search medical team.  Neither had any injuries and were left in the care of the Gardaí.

The members of Clare Civil Defence are to be commended for the very methodical and professional search and rescue operation and complimented on not only their rapid response but the successful outcome.

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