Search for Marian Power conducted by Dublin Civil Defence on Friday 16th. and Saturday 17th. January 2015
Dublin CD was tasked by An Garda Siochana to search the area of St. Edmundsbury Hospital in Lucan Co. Dublin
On Friday morning a party of thirty four members of Dublin CD assembled to conduct the search. Having met with the Gardai at St. Edmundsbury at 10.00hrs on Friday 16th and having discussed the requirements a command post was established and the search got under way at 10.30 hrs.
A Welfare Unit established a feeding centre to provide for the needs of the search teams.
Initially five search groups each consisting of five searchers were established and number distinct areas of interest agreed. Two search teams were deployed to the river bank; One team began their search at the Scout Den in Lucan and the other beginning at the boundary of St. Edmundsbury land and the Hermitage Golf Course. The other three teams were deployed the distinct search areas of the farm land.
Having completed their allotted tasks the search teams returned to the command post area and were fed a hot lunch.
At 13.20 hrs. the teams were about to be deployed when there was a report from a group of canoeists that a man had jumped into the river and intended to do himself harm. Two teams immediately were deployed with the Gardai to assist with that problem but nothing was found.
This man was later arrested by Gardai.
All five search teams were redeployed at 13.30 hrs. to continue the search. At 16.00 hrs. the teams having completed their allotted tasks returned to the command area. Following discussions with the Gardai it was decided to suspend the search until the following morning as all areas of the St. Edmundsbury lands had been searched.
On Saturday 17th. – Eighty five (85) members of Dublin CD responded to the call out for the search and re-established their Command and Control unit at St. Edmundsbury. At 10.00 hrs. we met with the Gardai to continue the search. There were about eighty civilians including members of Marian’s family present. The civilians were deployed with two members of the Gardai to St. Catherine’s Park to conduct a search. These civilians were later moved to continue searching with eight members of DCD to Waterstown Park
Five Civil Defence search teams were set up and the Welfare Team again set up to provide food for the search teams and Gardai.
It was agreed with the Gardai that a more intense search of the area immediately adjacent to the hospital would be conducted. Two teams together with a number of Gardai were deployed to the rough woodland immediately around the Hospital. Two teams were deployed to the area of the river, one team on the southern bank and the other on the northern bank both working downstream from Lucan Bridge.
Based on previous experience searching on the Liffey, the fifth team of specialist Swiftwater Rescuers were deployed to search the weirs and any strainers below Lucan.
While the search team from the Hospital area and the southern bank of the river were in the command area being fed in advance of redeployment, the Swiftwater Team reported a possible contact in the river.
The CDO and ACDO Hanna went to their location and a CD vehicle took two members of the Gardai to the scene. The search team on the northern bank of the river having reached the area of the possible contact were requested to remain there in order to be available to assist the Swiftwater team with any possible recovery.
Having been fed and with no confirmation from the river the other search teams were redeployed to continue with land search.
At 15.00 there was confirmation that with the assistance of the Garda Water Unit a body had been recovered from the river and the search was being stood down. All of the DCD teams were withdrawn back to the Command area for Debrief.
Dublin Civil Defence withdrew back to base at 16.00hrs with the task completed.
A great degree of thanks is due to all members of Dublin civil Defence for their skill and dedication to the needs of others. It was another very successful operation for Dublin Civil Defence in assisting the public in very difficult circumstances.