FDC Charity Fund: Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery: A Lifeline for the Community
Margaret Kehoe (FDC), Liam Ryan (FDC), Dave Varion, Christy O’Donovan and Chioma Anyaeji (FDC)
In the heart of Cork City, a dedicated group of volunteers is tirelessly working to ensure that no person is left unaccounted for. Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery (CCMPSR) plays an essential role in the community by providing a vital service to those in need. Whether it’s a missing person, a beloved pet, or a vulnerable individual, the volunteers give everything they have to bring people home safely.
Sponsored by FDC and Associates Ltd
FDC is committed to giving back to the community and making a positive impact on the world. The work carried out by Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery is supported by FDC and Associates Ltd through the FDC Charity Fund. Their backing ensures that the team has the resources necessary to continue their vital work. The sponsorship helps fund equipment, training, and operational costs, ensuring that the volunteers can carry out their life-saving missions without concern for financial constraints.
A Growing Team of Volunteers
The team has grown considerably over the past year, increasing from 12 volunteers to 21. This expansion is vital, as the winter months—often marked by harsh weather conditions and longer nights—are the busiest time of year for the group. Volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, all of whom are juggling their rescue work alongside day jobs.
Essential Gear for Critical Missions
The work of Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery is not without its costs. The team is fully equipped to tackle any rescue operation, and this requires a significant investment in safety equipment, training and insurance. Each volunteer needs specialised gear, including dry suits that cost around €1300 and life vests priced at €300. All this equipment ensures that the team is prepared for challenging and often dangerous environments.
Running the outfit costs upwards of €100,000 every year, covering everything from insurance to safety equipment and courses. Notably, the team’s recent investments include an anti-opioid course, which trained volunteers to assist individuals who may be experiencing an overdose. Despite these expenses, none of the volunteers are paid for their time—each person is driven solely by their commitment to helping others.
The Three Outcomes
1. Found alive: The best possible outcome, where the person is located and safely brought home.
2. Found deceased: A tragic outcome that provides closure for families, even in the hardest of circumstances.
3. Never found: The most heartbreaking possibility, where a person remains unaccounted for, often leaving families in limbo.
A Legacy of Success and Community Support
Beyond the challenges they face, the volunteers at Cork City Search and Recovery have seen their fair share of heartwarming success stories. One recent highlight was helping reunite a brother and sister after 57 years of separation. This miraculous reunion came about through a specific section of their website where people can leave a description of someone, and the volunteers attempt to match the description with any information they have. Additionally, Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery has successfully helped numerous families locate loved ones with dementia, bringing much-needed peace of mind to those impacted by this debilitating condition
Their success isn’t limited to human rescues. The team made headlines several years ago with a dramatic rescue of a kitten from beneath the Michael Collins Bridge. The story captured the community’s imagination and highlighted the dedication of the team, even in the smallest of rescues.
Data Driven Approach and Debriefs
While the team’s work is often conducted under difficult circumstances, they rely on a science-based approach to improve their search and rescue efforts. After every mission, volunteers participate in debriefs where they analyse the success of the operation, identifying patterns and areas for improvement. These discussions are based on findings from numerous studies in the field of search and rescue, allowing the team to continually refine their tactics and increase their chances of success.
The Three Outcomes
Despite their best efforts, every search mission has three potential outcomes:
- Found alive: The best possible outcome, where the person is located and safely brought home.
- Found deceased: A tragic outcome that provides closure for families, even in the hardest of circumstances.
- Never found: The most heartbreaking possibility, where a person remains unaccounted for, often leaving families in limbo.
In every case, the volunteers at Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery are committed to one goal: bringing people home and giving families the answers they need. Whether the outcome is positive or negative, their compassion and dedication never waver.
A Call to Action
The volunteers at Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery do not work for fame or recognition. They do it because they care deeply about their community and are committed to making a difference. However, as a charity-funded organization, they rely heavily on community support to keep going. Donations, sponsorships, and public backing play a crucial role in ensuring that the team can continue their mission.
If you’d like to support Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery, whether through donations or simply spreading the word, please reach out to them via their website or consider getting involved. With your help, they can continue to make a life-saving impact in Cork and beyond.
The FDC Charity Fund aims to foster and represent the ethos and culture of the overall FDC Group through facilitating staff donations to those in greater need. To learn more about Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery, please click here.