Foyle Search and Rescue

General information

Foyle Search and Rescue is a registered, voluntary based search and rescue charity, operating in Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Foyle Search and Rescue was set up by local people in 1993 in response to the alarmingly high number of drownings in the river (30 within 18 months) and has adopted the role of preventing suicide and supporting families in the City. Foyle Search and Rescue strive to reduce the numbers of suicides through drowning and also improve volunteering numbers, capability, inclusion and cohesion within these areas. As an organisation we work closely with other public and community bodies to improve the service that is provided on prevention, intervention, postvention and educational scales.

Our volunteers are from the local community and selflessly give up hours of their personal time every week to help those in need. We patrol the river on Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights, identified peak times of need, from 9.30pm to 3.00am, engaging with people in distress, maintaining lifebelts and saving lives. We operate an emergency pager crew who are on call 24hrs per day and also have a body recovery team who search for any person missing in the river and recover the body with the greatest dignity. We facilitate the North West Bereaved by Suicide Support Group for families and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide and are also involved in education on water safety and suicide awareness within our local community. We are a unique Charity in what we do and we are not restricted to helping one group of people – we help everyone who needs us regardless of age, gender, religion, race or background.