Exercise turns to callout for Killaloe Coast Guard Unit

Tuesday 12 August 2025

Killaloe Coast Guard Unit members had a busy evening yesterday (Monday 11 August) with a training exercise and then a callout.

Photo Credit: Killaloe Coast Guard Unit

The volunteer crew were on exercise when they were tasked at 7:55pm to a person who had been swimming on Lough Derg over a number of hour's but was showing signs of hypothermia and feeling unwell.

The Coast Guard crew who was on the water in the units D class rescue boat responded and were on scene within five minutes of the call, a shore team also responded to Two Mile Gate from the Coast Guard station at Pier Head Killaloe.

The causality was assessed and a Ambulance was requested to attend.

The Coast Guard crew kept the causality comfortable and continued to assess his condition until the National Ambulance service arrived and took over care of the causality.

The unit were stood down at 9:45pm and returned to base.

The top safety tips from the Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland and the RNLI for swimming are:

• Always check the weather forecast and understand the local effects of wind, tides and currents. (For weather and tides see www.safetyonthewater.gov.ie)

• Never swim alone and if possible, have somebody ashore who is familiar with your plans and can observe your progress.

• Only swim in sheltered areas with which you are familiar and swim parallel to the shore.

• Stay within your depth – know your limits including how long to stay in the water

• Ensure that you are visible from the shore. Wear a brightly coloured swim cap or use a tow float to increase your visibility in the water.

• Wearing a wetsuit is advisable to help stay warm.

• Acclimatise to cold water slowly to reduce the risk of cold-water shock.

• Get warmed up afterwards. Wrap up well in extra layers of clothing

• If in doubt, don’t go out!

• Tell someone else where you’re going and when you’ll be back.