Howth Coast Guard boat ‘Grainne‘ was out this morning training with Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter ‘Sierra Alpha Romeo’. We started first with a wet winch. Barbara, one of Grainne’s crew was put into the water and the helicopter approached in, hovered and the winch man recovered her. She was dunked in again by the heli [...]
On Saturday the 24th the team trained in the quarry at Balscadden. Some of the newer members of the team were given the opportunity to try their hand at abseiling down a 40ft vertical rock face. While not everybody can be a climber it is important that everyone on the team is familiar with all aspects of [...]
The training excercise today saw quad driving practice at Red Rock Martello Tower in Howth. The team use the quad as an intricate piece of equipment to ferry loads of climbing gear in its trailer to the cliff top area off-road. It is important to us that the designated drivers feel comfortable and stay practised [...]
On Wednesday night the team assembled at the station and had a training session where we practiced tying off techniques for climbing and walking casualty recovery. It is very important that all the team is familiar and comfortable with these as it may be in the dark and in bad weather that they are called [...]
Winters coming and Howth CG were out last night cliff training at the Baily and as you can see from the pictures it’s getting dark early.
Many of our callouts are after dark so we have to be comfortable working in low light situations and safety is of paramount importance.
Howth CG boat ‘Grainne‘ and four crew were out yesterday and at the request of Coast Guard Helicopter ‘Mike Echo Sierra’(Rescue 116) ‘wet winch’ training was the order of the day. Grainne supplied a crew member to be winched from the water up to the helicopter as part of the heli crews required training.
Conditions on [...]
Yesterday evening after a visit from An Taoiseach, Howth CG unit were out on the cliffs for a rescue exercise with our full-time Training Officers from Coast Guard Head Quarters. The unit performed a casuality recovery exercise in the Baily lighthouse area and were then assessed on their performance.
The senario was a casualty cut off by the tide at [...]
This morning the team were on exercise and a full cliff stretcher recovery was performed. Two climbers initially descended to assess the ‘casualty’ and then when the condition was stabilised a stretcher recovery was completed. Also two new cliff rescue climbers started their high cliff training today. Always a little daunting when going from gentle [...]
On Wednesday evening Howth CG boat ‘Grainne’ was out working with Helicopter Mike Echo Sierra(Rescue 116). Grainne was asked to assist R116 with winching procedures. Out past Ireland’s Eye a crew member from Grainne was put in the water and was winched out up to the helicopter and then the winchman then landed in the [...]
Last night Howth CG were out cliff training with the recent new recruits at the Baily lighthouse. Cliff top working was concentrated on with stake tying and dog tying and operation the major parts along with the basic CG knots. All volunteers have to master cliff top operations before they can advance onto becoming rescue [...]
