'I'm no hero' says security guard who rescued woman

Earl Gorman was on duty at the Scotch Hall shopping centre in Drogheda, beside the Boyne, when a colleague radioed that someone was in the water.

"I tried to get a lifebuoy to her a couple of times but I could see she was losing strength and she went under the water a couple of times," he said.

Mr Gorman, a former volunteer with the Boyne Fisherman's Rescue and Recovery Service (BFRRS) and the Drogheda unit of the coast guard, realised he had to get closer to her.

"The light had just faded and I did what I had to do," he said. "I don't consider myself a hero, my rescue training meant I knew what to do."

The father-of-one took off his shirt and made his way into the river by jumping over a railing and lowering himself from a ledge.

With the water up to his waist he was then able to throw the lifebuoy again, and the woman caught it.

Mr Gorman then pulled her to a ledge at the quayside where volunteer Peter Robinson of BFRRS was waiting to help.

Boats from the BFRRS and the coast guard arrived on the scene a short time later.

Respect

"It was great to see all of the rescue groups responding. I have a lot of respect for them all," said Mr Gorman.

"I'm very glad that the woman came out of the river safely - it's a reminder to everybody that lifebuoys are life-savers and should not be damaged or tampered with.

"I did what I had to do and I hope some time in the future to return to volunteering with one of the rescue groups."

A spokesman for the BFRRS said the incident happened at just after 9.20pm on Friday.

"Our mobile units and an inshore rescue boat were dispatched to the scene," he said.

"The land crew on arrival observed that a member of Scotch Hall Security had entered the water with a life ring to secure the casualty.

"Immediately a rescue swimmer entered the water to assist with the securing of the casualty and with the combined effort they brought the casualty to the river's edge and administrated first aid while waiting for the arrival of the boat crew.

"On arrival at the Boyne Rescue slipway, BFRRS members handed the casualty over to the awaiting NAS ambulance and the casualty was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for further medical treatment."