FIREFIGHTERS and a member of the public were praised as “heroes” after they rescued an elderly man who fell from a boat on the River Shannon in Limerick City yesterday (January 28).
The man got into difficulty in the water after falling from the boat at Arthur’s Quay.
A member of the public, who was passing at the time, threw a life buoy to the man.
Two units attached to the Limerick City Fire and Rescue Service rapidly responded to the scene and rescued the man from the river.
He was transferred from the scene by paramedics in an ambulance to University Hospital Limerick.
A spokeswoman for Limerick Council, the authority over the fire service, said responders “were called to a person in the river near Sarsfield House” who “was working in his boat when slipped and fell into the river”.
“Our crew quickly got to him in the rescue boat and out of the water and brought him up the slip where he was aided into the awaiting ambulance.
“This incident clearly shows the importance of life buoys as this elderly gentleman may have had a different outcome if it was not available,” said the Council spokeswoman.
A Garda spokeswoman said Gardaí assissted emergency services and the man received medical attention at scene.
A woman who observed firefighters bringing the man to safety said that all involved “are heroes, everyone involved in fact is a hero”.
“They don’t get enough credit so I just want to say they all performed the rescue brilliantly.”