THERE have been 14 fatalities on Cork roads already this year, while four people were rescued by Cork County Council’s beach lifeguards during the months of June and July, according to figures released by Cork County Council ahead of the August bank holiday weekend.
Cork County Council is appealing for people to stay safe as it marks ‘Amber Thursday’ for 2024. This campaign is a collaboration between safety bodies and local authorities to help promote road, water and fire safety over the busy August bank holiday weekend.
‘It has been a busy year for emergency services in Ireland. Sadly, there have been 14 fatalities this year with two pedestrians, four motorcyclists, a cyclist and seven drivers and passengers have tragically lost their lives,’ said County mayor Cllr Joe Carroll.
He urged motorists to slow down, ensure the everyone is wearing their seatbelt and to put away the mobile phone.
‘Let us all work together to endure safer roads for everyone.’
As well as rescuing four people, the Cork County Council beach lifeguards assisted seven people in the water who needed help and they gave advice to the members of the public on 4,927 occasions and administered first aid on 89 occasions.
This week, the volunteer crew from Kinsale RNLI were involved in two rescues within three days, which saw a kayaker rescued last Saturday and a walker rescued on Monday.
The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 3.11pm on Saturday by the Coast Guard after a kayaker got stuck on the rocks on the eastern side of the outer harbour, known as Hangman’s Point, between Kinsale and Oysterhaven.
‘The lifeboat helmed by Lenny Fourie and with crew members Felix Miller and Finn Brown onboard observed that the casualty had managed to swim ashore after capsizing their kayak,’ said an RNLI spokesperson.
One of the crew swam ashore to the casualty, who was cold and grazed from the rocks but was otherwise safe and well. She was brought back to Kinsale RNLI lifeboat station at approximately 5pm, while the crew returned to the scene to retrieve the kayak to prevent it from being a potential hazard.
Kinsale RNLI helm Lenny Fourie commended the paddlers for not going out alone and for carrying a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch so that they could raise the.
The lifeboat was requested to launch again on Monday night at 8.44pm following a report of an injured walker along the rocks at Sandycove.
The lifeboat crew assisted the Coast Guard and National Ambulance Service who brought the casualty to safety.
Meanwhile, the Kinsale RNLI fundraising branch is holding a Station Open Day at the RNLI station at Worlds End on Sunday August 4th from 2pm to 5pm.
Admission is free and all are welcome.
