|
Abstract
|
Within Ireland the last significant attempt to examine drowning covered the period 2000 to 2006. This research (Connolly, 2006) focused on rescue incidents carried out by An Garda Síochána rather than drowning per se, overall rescue or failure to rescue.
It is notable that most of the research on drowning focuses on the process of drowning and the process of effective rescue. Less attention is paid to the impact an incident of drowning has on other significant stakeholders, particularly families and local communities, and their support needs at a local level. This is a particular issue for local police (Gardaí) and local volunteer rescuers (such as Community Rescue Boats volunteers) who are often the first responders to a drowning incident (Connolly, 2006) and who live in local communities and do have to support and engage with the local community and family subsequent to the incident. As a result they are situated to have a unique insight into the medium and long terms issues that might arise for families and communities, how they are dealt with by agencies and how approaches could be improved. This paper therefore explores a gap in the literature relating to the support needs of families and local communities following an incident of drowning. We have focused on 'death by water' as this happens in rivers, rather than at sea or by the coast.
The aim is to explore the impact of incidents of death by water in rivers on families and communities and the nature of the support issues that may arise when engaging with such families and communities as perceived by members of the Gardaí and members of the Community Rescue Boats Ireland organisation.
Language: en |