AWARDS
Rescue 116 International Rescue Swimmer's Relay Trophy
In the early hours of the 14th of March 2017 the crew of Rescue 116 departed their Dublin base to provide top cover to their crewmates in Rescue 118 who were recovering an injured sailor from a vessel, some 140nm off the Irish coast.
Unfortunately the crew of Rescue 116 never returned home that day and the souls of Commander Dara Fitzpatrick, captain Mark Duffy, winch operator Paul Orsmby and Winchman and EURORSA member Ciarán Smith were lost to the Irish sea. The successful completion of a mission requires a close team. That night Ciarán, Paul, Mark and Dara set out as tight knit crew of four. As we come together each meeting our members join three other finned brothers or sisters to represent thier home nation in the Rescue Swimmer’s Relay. When they swim in this relay they are not only swimming with their team for their nation they are also swimming for the memory of four members of a crew, who dedicated themselves to helping those in peril on our seas.
The winners of the RSCU116 trophy in Reykjavik Iceland, Italy (front) with the colleges of the crew of RSCU116 (back).
Rescue Swimmer Fin
At each meeting, country representatives are invited to present SAR missions in which EURORSA members have displayed exceptional character in demanding situations. The aim of these awards is to highlight the fantastic work our members do and to pay homage to the training and dedication a professional Rescue Swimmer must undertake to ensure they are prepared for the challenges that are faced during such missions.
Rescue Swimmer Wings
The idea to award each member with an EuroRSA rescue swimmer insignia was brought up at the 3rd Rescue Swimmer meeting in Gijon, Spain. The members will be presented with this recognition when attending a Rescue Swimmer meeting. Wings are presented in three classes: Bronze, Silver and Golden wings. The EuroRSA wings can be worn in company or military uniform respecting their own regulations.
Awarding of the EURORSA Wings:
- The Gold, Silver and Bronze wings are presented at Rescue Swimmer meetings to EURORSA members who have served as operational full time rescue Swimmers with their respective organisations and have completed multiple operational rescues in a maritime environment.
o The wings are awarded for the following years of service:
§ GOLD More than 20 years
§ SILVER 10 years
§ Bronze less than 10 years
- In addition to the years of service the swimmer should have been an active member of the association for more than three years.
- Completed the EURORSA PT at an authorised Rescue Swimmers Association event.
EURORSA wings can also be presented as a high recognition by the association to anyone for doing something exceptional related to SAR and with the unanimous decision of the EuroRSA board. Any casualty within the association, weather it’s a cause of the job or not, will be presented with the highest recognition – the golden EuroRSA wings.