Rescue of Laois teenager recalled at water safety event in Portlaoise

The CPR rescue of a Laois teenager was recalled during this year’s Annual Water Safety Awards held in County Hall in Portlaoise. It was a startling reminder of the importance of competency in water safety when Padraig Dolan shared his own story of performing CPR on 14-year-old Logan Smith a number of months ago. CONTINUE READING BELOW PHOTO

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 Attendees at the Water Safety Ireland Laois awards ceremony at Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise. Photos: Denis Byrne 

Mr Dolan was speaking at a special event on Thursday, December 11, organised by Laois County Council, in partnership with Water Safety Ireland – Laois to honour those who have completed water safety training as well as those who dedicate their time to making Laois a safer place for water activities.

Logan, who is from Abbeyleix, and his father Seán also shared their experience of the rescue incident.
In June, the teenager was at a swim training camp with his team in Barcelona when he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the swimming pool.

His teammates from Marlins Swim Club scrambled to assist him out of the water. Recognising that Logan had no pulse, his coach Padraic Dolan immediately began CPR and called for an AED.

Unfortunately the AED was found to be defective, so Mr Dolan continued CPR himself for about 12 minutes until paramedics arrived. With the aid of a functioning defibrillator, paramedics successfully revived Logan.

Mr Dolan along with Sgt. Paul O’Shea were recently honoured at the National Water Safety Awards for their exceptional contributions to water safety in Laois. Leinster Express/Laois Live journalist Lynda Kiernan was recognised for her role in raising awareness and promoting water safety through the local press.

The event in Portlaoise included the presentation of certificates and awards to participants of the Water Safety Ireland courses for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 periods.

Among the notable attendees was Clare McGrath, Chairperson of Water Safety Ireland, who addressed the gathering and offered her congratulations to the awardees.

Clare took the opportunity to encourage the public to promote the Water Safety video featuring Liam Neeson, which reflects on the tragic lives lost to drowning and urges everyone to learn swimming and lifesaving skills and to always wear a life jacket when on the water.

Stephen O'Toole, Chairperson of Laois Water Safety, expressed his pride in the success of the recent water safety classes: "Tonight, we celebrate the hard work and dedication of those who have taken the time to learn essential water safety skills. We are incredibly proud of all the participants, instructors, and volunteers who have made this programme a success. Water safety is not just a lesson in skills. It’s a life-saving initiative that ensures our community can enjoy water activities with confidence. We are especially proud of our initiative to offer free water safety classes to all those involved in rescue services over the past two years.”

An Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Barry Walsh, whose son also received an award at the ceremony, praised the value of the water safety classes, saying: "As a parent, I know firsthand how valuable these water safety courses are. CPR, for example, is something that everyone should know and dedicate some time to learn those skills. My own son has benefited greatly from the skills learned through this programme, and I am proud to see so many young people in Laois gaining the knowledge that could save lives. These courses are more than just lessons, they are essential tools for keeping our children and families safe while enjoying our beautiful waterways."