Skerries Coast Guard » Pollution

Pollution report – 23rd May 2011

admin — Mon, 23 May 2011 07:49:08 +0000

This morning, the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to investigate a suspected pollution report near Donabate beach. A concerned member of the public had contacted the Coast Guard’s operations centre to report a large block of an unusual waxy grey substance on the beach. The size of the substance was approximately 0.25 cubic metres. As further information was received from the caller at the scene, the Coast Guard determined that the substance was likely to be ambergris, a naturally occurring digestive substance secreted by certain whales. This substance poses no danger to humans. A request was made for Fingal County Council to attend the scene and remove the item from the beach.

Remember – if you spot something unusual on the beach, dial 112 or 999 and ask for the COAST GUARD.

Incident # 10 of 2011

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Pollution report at Skerries – 19th April 2011

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:14:30 +0000

At 09:25 this morning, the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to investigate a public report of pollution on the North Beach in Skerries. The caller reported a murky orange substance at the water’s edge, stretching for several metres along the shore.

Upon arrival at the scene, the Skerries Coast Guard team investigated the substance and concluded it was an algal bloom – a naturally occurring phenomenon that frequently occurs on the North Beach. Given the recent good weather, the concentration of algae in the water may have increased, leading to the orange discolouration. This is also known colloquially as “Red Tide”. This poses no serious threat to humans, other than possible mild skin irritation in some cases.

The Skerries Coast Guard team conducted a detailed analysis of the algal bloom and this information will be passed to the Marine Institute in Galway to further their ongoing research into algal blooms in Irish waters.

Water sample collected from North Beach

Incident # 6 of 2011

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Incident at Skerries harbour – 3rd March 2011

admin — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:17:24 +0000

At 20:25 this evening the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to investigate reports of a swamped fishing vessel at Skerries harbour. Attempts were being made by the skipper to salvage the vessel and further assistance was requested from both the Coast Guard and Skerries Fire Brigade.

The Skerries Coast Guard team arrived on scene within minutes and surveyed the scene. The skipper was requested to remove the EPIRB from the vessel to prevent accidental deployment of the distress signal. The Skerries Coast Guard team also monitored the pollution threat from the vessel which was carrying amounts of diesel and other oil onboard.

Shortly before 23:30, the numerous attempts by the Skipper to right the vessel finally proved successful and it was secured to the harbour wall. The Skerries Coast Guard team were stood down at 23:45.

Incident # 2 of 2011

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Training – HazChem shoreline response

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:57:58 +0000

Today, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard undertook routine training in scene management of incidents involving hazardous materials. This training is vital as the Skerries team could be the first emergency services to arrive at the scene of an incident involving a hazardous material.

The exercise involved scenario based training in HazChem search techniques, including use of the international HazChem identification and action codes. The primary aim when responding to such incidents is to quickly identify the specific or generic classification of the material(s) involved in the incident, and to protect both on-scene emergency services personnel and the general public during this initial response phase of the incident.

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Rescue training – Rush north beach

admin — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:04:29 +0000

This evening, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard undertook search and rescue training at the North Beach in Rush. This consisted of a scenario based exercise that included rescue of persons trapped on the beach, dealing with suspected shoreline pollution and coastal search techniques.

Weather conditions on scene were challenging with poor visibility and slight SW winds.

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Pollution at Skerries – 11th May 2008

admin — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:27:32 +0000

Skerries Coast Guard were tasked at 21:15 this evening by the Irish Coast Guard’s rescue co-ordination centre (MRCC) to investigate a report of oil pollution on the shoreline north of Skerries. The Skerries Coast Guard team arrived on scene within minutes and located a 45 gallon drum containing a large amount of diesel near the waters edge.

The team resealed the drum, established there was no indication of diesel spill in the vicinity and removed it from the scene for specialist disposal by Fingal County Council.

No further assistance required and the Skerries Coast Guard team were stood down by MRCC.

Incident #9 of 2008

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Suspected pollution – 21st April 2008

admin — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:21:01 +0000

At 13:20 this afternoon, Skerries Coast Guard began investigating a report of suspected pollution on the South Strand, Skerries. A member of the public had logged a call with the Irish Seal Sanctuary to report sighting an oiled wildbird near the shoreline.

Skerries Coast Guard were tasked by the Coast Gaurd’s rescue co-ordination centre in Dublin (MRCC) to determine if there were any signs of pollution in the area. Coast Guard volunteers conducted an extensive search of the shoreline with nothing to report and were stood down by MRCC.

Incident # 6 of 2008

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