River ice sheets wreaked havoc

Eamon Eannetta, Foyle Search & Rescue volunteer, Colin Greer, DSD, Niall McGurk, Ilex, Stephen Twells, Vice-Chairman, Foyle Search & Rescue, Amy Coll, Foyle Search & Rescue, pictured with Paul McGilloway, one of the organisers of the Firmus Energy City of Culture Triathlon, as he gets ready for Sundays event at Foyle Search and Rescues pontoon, which has been ice-proofed, funded by Ilex through the DSD Culture Capital Fund. Foyle Search & Rescue is the official charity partner for the Triathlon. (Photo Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)

The regeneration company has given Foyle Search and Rescue £50,000 funding to make their pontoon ice proof and put it back into the river for all year round use.

The funding was awarded by Ilex through the Department for Social Development’s UK City of Culture Capital Infrastructure Fund.

Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland said that: “The work that this organisation does within the city is vitally important.”

The Minister added: “During the UK City of Culture 2013 events we expect a large number of visitors to Londonderry and the money invested by my Department in these upgraded facilities will help to contribute to the safety of both citizens and visitors alike.”

Caoimhín Corrigan, Ilex’s Cultural Broker commented: “Foyle Search & Rescue plays a crucial role in events along the River Foyle, especially in 2013 with so many big events such as the Return of Colmcille festival, Radio 1’s Big Weekend and the forthcoming City of Culture Triathlon.

“Ice proofing the pontoon has given Foyle Search and Rescue the necessary resources to carry on their valuable work in the city, not only throughout the 12 months of the 2013 year, but for years to come.”

Foyle Search and Rescue Chairman, Craig Smyth added: “On behalf of Foyle Search and Rescue I would like to thank Ilex and the Department for Social Development, as the pontoon is one of our most important pieces of equipment and will make a massive difference to the work of our Emergency Response Team.

“It allows us to have two boats in the water at all times – one in the cityside at the Council’s pontoon and one in the Waterside at our base at Prehen.

“Our 24 hour Emergency Pager Team is made up of volunteers based in both the Waterside and the cityside, and they are now able to respond much quicker to the pontoon nearest to them, reducing response times for emergencies.

“If there is heavy traffic congestion or road closures in the city centre, our team can quickly access the pontoon at Prehen.

“Without this funding we would still be responding to one pontoon in the city centre which is far from ideal when trying to reach incidents as quickly as possible.”

The pontoon suffered considerable damage during inclement conditions in Londonderry three years ago.

Huges sheets of ice collided with the pontoon in both January and December of that year causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.

On December 6, 2010, £50,000 in damage was caused when ice sheets crashed into the pontoon at Prehen and also gouged a six-inch gash in the side of a rescue vessel.

It followed a similar incident in January of that year when damage to the pontoon led to a £90,000 bill for the organisation. There followed a campaign to redesign the pontoon to make it ice proof to prevent further damage and this happening again regardless of the weather.