Last week Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue Service took delivery of a new launching vehicle, a Talus MB-H. Purpose built exclusively as a rescue boat launching vehicle by Clayton Engineering in Wales for the RNLI, it was purchased second hand when the RNLI replaced it with a new model. The new launching vehicle provides the service with an extremely reliable and well designed launching vehicle that will now take over from the aging Morooka vehicle that the service has used for nearly 18 years. Driven by a V8 caterpillar engine and weighing nearly 19 tonnes, the Talus is capable of pushing the rescue boats into the necessary depth of water to launch at an impressive speed of 12kph. The Talus is also designed so well that in the event of a break down in the water, it can quickly be made watertight and left in up to 9 meters of water for up to 24 hours allowing the tide to come in and recede to allow it to be recovered.
The Talus was kindly transported from Wales by local company, Aronmar Plant and Crushing owned by Aaron Farrell who’s father, Mike, was a member of Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue for many years.
Speaking of its arrival this morning, Omar Fitzell, Public Relations Officer for Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue said “This is a massive development for us. While the Morooka we had served us very well, it has aged to the point where it was no longer reliable for the work we are using it for. The Talus may be second hand, but it is in perfect condition and more importantly, it is specifically designed for our purpose. We are extremely lucky that we have a great relationship with the RNLI to enable us to be in a position to be offered the purchase of one”.
Gearoid O Connor, Chairman of Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue added “The arrival of the Talus has ensured that we can continue to offer immediate life saving response to the water around North Kerry and the Shannon estuary. It’s arrival does come at a big cost to the unit, however. We have spent nearly €40,000 via a loan to purchase the vehicle and have it ready for frontline response. We once again need the public’s support to repay this loan”.
The Talus went into operational service on Sunday the 11th of June once enough members were signed off as competent to utilise it. A GoFundMe has been set up in an effort to help repay the cost of the vehicle.…
https://gofund.me/dc500dd7
