Cavan Civil Defence scoop national title

The Cavan Civil Defence team has captured its second national title in the space of nine years when they beat off eleven rivals on Saturday. Held in Gormanston Army Camp, Co. Meath, the Cavan team got into the national final by winning the regional final in Monaghan last May. Last weekend they beat teams from Dublin, Waterford City, Laois, Donegal, Tipperary North and Cork to be crowned champions. Each team consisted of twelve volunteers. They were tested in the following skills: casualty/first aid, radio communications, rescue, team task, drill/dress, map reading and evacuation, flooding task-pumping and sandbagging. The winning Cavan team consisted of James Spears, Catherine McCollum, Fintan Cooney, Ann Hartnett, Florence Snell, Eamon Mulcahy, Sean Kelly, Francis Brady, Declan Smith, Daniel Barr, Charles Fitzsimons, Nigel McDowell and Andy Ward (sub). One of their tasks was to save the occupants of a car submerged in a rapidly rising river flood. Other challenges they faced included giving first aid and comfort to trauma victims; dealing with a collapsed tunnel; and tests in communications, map reading and evacuations. Speaking to The Anglo-Celt this week, Civil Defence Officer for Cavan, Noel Burke, said the county also won the title back in 2001 when the event was held in Carlow. "The team put a lot of hard work into it and they were training three or four nights a week at their HQ in Rathcorrick." According to Mr. Burke it's not the first time that this team has tasted national success, having won two All-Ireland Pump Drills in recent years as well. At the moment Cavan Civil defence has 114 members and they play a back-up role to the front line ambulance, fire, search and rescue services in emergency. They also help in the search for bodies in the River Erne and the lakes of Cavan and during the flooding in Killeshandra last year they helped to evacuate people from their homes. Mr. Burke pointed out that the Civil Defence provided voluntary support for the duration of the recent Fleadh, as well as at the pony shows in Cavan Equestrian Centre, the Pumpkin Festival in Virginia, all finals in Breffni park plus many community events throughout the county. "We are lucky to have a very dedicate group of members." He was delighted that the team carried off the national award and was just reward for their endeavours. Cavan is the big winner, says Mr. Burke, as the people will know that they are in safe hands with the Civil Defence.