COAST Guard staff and volunteers are to issue children with plastic ID bands in a bid to prevent the repeat of the chaos on Rossnowlagh beach last year.
A child went missing on the famous strand amid fears he was in the water during last July’s heat wave.
Thousands of people in their cars caused gridlock on the beach when they all tried to leave at the same time as the tide came in.
The Sligo 118 rescue helicopter and lifeboat crews were forced to scramble to the beach in an attempt to find the child who later turned up safe and well.
“With the beach weather hopefully sticking around for a while Irish Coast Guard units around the country have started distributing wristbands for children under the “Give us a hand” campaign,” said Dara O’Malley-Daly from Malin Head Coast Guard station.
“The wristbands which are disposable allow parents/ guardians to write their phone number on it and place on a child’s hand.
“If the child gets lost the phone number can be contacted and everyone reunited quickly, minimising the need for a large scale search and undue concern for parents. The wristbands are free and made of Tyvek material which is durable and waterproof.
“Coast Guard units around the country are distributing the wristbands at coastal/ inland waterway locations. They are also making them available for collection at lifeguard stations and public buildings like libraries.”
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