County Cork Emergency Services Host Road Safety Event for Students in Fermoy
More than 400 students from five secondary schools in County Cork have attended a road safety event in Fermoy where they heard from two people whose lives were changed forever following road traffic collisions.
The event was the first in a series of talks organised by Cork County Council in collaboration with Cork County Fire Service, The National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána and road safety advocates.
The transition and fifth year students heard personal stories from Mark Dalton, a 23-year-old man who suffered serious life-changing injuries after a crash and Leo Lieghio, a father whose daughter was killed in a road traffic incident.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said,
Mayor
With 60 of the 174 people tragically lost on Irish roads last year under the age of 25, it is vital that we keep the road safety message out there for the youth in our communities. I would like to thank both Mark and Leo for telling their stories which I’m sure resonated with and will have a lasting impact upon all present. The road safety message is simple, I am appealing to everyone to belt up, slow down, and avoid all distractions in the car, especially the mobile phone.
An interview with fire crews from Cork County Fire Service in Fermoy gave insights into what happens when the pager goes off and how the team responds to road traffic incidents and their aftermath.
The event also included an outdoor demonstration showing what happens at the scene of a road traffic collision with all services working together, including the Fire Service using cutting equipment and the National Ambulance Service showing students how a casualty is extracted from a vehicle using a spinal board.
Inspector Jason Wallace, Fermoy Garda Station said “This was an exceptionally worthwhile initiative in the ongoing effort to reduce the unacceptable number of road deaths and injuries on our roads and the impact on families. The co-ordination between Cork County Council, Cork County Fire Service, National Ambulance Service and An Garda Síochána was an example of a really positive collaboration between agencies who have a common goal. There is no doubt that this event will have made a difference.”
Thie event is the first in a series of Cork County Council Countywide Multi-School workshops with the next one planned for Mallow in May 2025.