12 February 2016, Friday
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe was joined by a very special visitor at today’s Water Safety Awareness Flag Ceremony in Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co Cork. Castlelyons Primary School recently completed their Water Safety Awareness Course with Caroline Casey, Cork County Council’s Water and Road Safety Development Officer. On the course, children are taught valuable safety techniques with safety in the home, farm, pool, rivers, lakes and beaches covered. Upon completion, the school is awarded an accredited Water Safety Flag.
Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe and Caroline invited the Castlelyons school children, together with their teachers, onto the schoolyard where an engine hum was soon heard. As that engine grew louder, the schoolchildren began to scan the sky and could see a helicopter approaching. The excitement reached fever pitch when the roar of the Rescue 117 Coast Guard Helicopter was experienced as it passed over their school. Exhilaration, anticipation and delight came over the entire school when the Helicopter landed nearby. The Crew emerged to award the Cork County Council Water Safety Awareness Flag to the schoolchildren and teachers of Castlelyons Primary School.
Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe joins Caroline Casey, Cork County Council and Rescue 117 Coast Guard Helicopter Crew to present the Water Safety Awareness Flag to Castlelyons National School students together with their Principal, Neilus de Roiste.
Cork County Council’s Water and Road Safety Development Officer, Caroline Casey said ‘Having completed the Water Safety Awareness Course, the children of Castlelyons School were well able to put their questions to the crew of Rescue 117 while also experiencing firsthand the importance of Water Safety. They had a fantastic experience, receiving invaluable information from the Crew. I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to the Coast Guard for visiting and creating this incredible day. There are some limited places remaining for the 2016/2017 school year and I would urge your local school to register for the Cork County Council Flag today. It’s free and you can email caroline.casey@corkcoco.ie for details. “We never know where the helicopter will land next – it could be at a school by you so don’t delay!!’”
Cork County Council will launch a Farm Safety Story Book for schools in early May. The Cork County Council Water Safety Anthem is almost complete and will be available shortly to schools.
