The sun was bouncing off Belfast Lough when Lagan Search and Rescue invited us out for their training.

But the reality for the volunteer life savers is that they can be called out at any time of the day or night - and no matter how cold, wet or downright miserable it is - they go.

Members of the crew admitted they get nervous because they never know what they are running towards in the dark of night - or what they will find when they get there.

But these 40 volunteers - supported by law firm Allen and Overy, grants and their own fund raising - deserve our thanks, and more so our respect.

This weekend they will leave their families to patrol Belfast's waters as revellers live it large at the BBC's Biggest Weekender, while last weekend they were out in force for the Maritime Festival.

But senior crew trainer Barry Carroll said he doesn't mind.

He first joined the crew three years ago and said a big reason was because he couldn't swim.

"I initially had a fear of the water and couldn't swim and had no interest in swimming," he explained. "I was on and off ships and a mate had joined ahead of me and he said if you bring your knowledge they will teach you to swim.

"I can swim now and with the kit on I just swimming until you tell me to stop."

The 34-year-old said his wife is happy he is "doing something good" but "petrified something might happen" when he heads out on a call.

"She looks at is as 'you're running into danger and everyone else is running away'," he said. "She is a bit scared at times, especially when the weather is bad."

A for how he feels, he added: "As soon as the pager goes off, your heart's already racing. You don't know what you are going to. It could be something as simple as an item falling into the water or something major with somebody wanting to end their life.

"You don't know. There's a bit of a thrill, but not in a good way."

But Barry said he never has a problem getting out of work.

He continued: "My boss is good where if he hears the pager going, he'll just say go, as long as you come back and get on with your work.

"It works well for me because if I'm at work, I'm only ever two or three minutes from the boat."

The port agent works at Belfast docks doing whatever jobs come up as the ships come and go, but he doesn't mind giving up his spare time to save lives.

He said: "Some months it could take up 20 hours of your time other times more, but it's all the skills you learn. Medical skills, searching skills and techniques and it's all stuff you can use in your day to day life."

Niall Keenan on the operational management committee said the rescue organisation is always looking for more volunteers.

As for what they do, he added: "Lagan Search and Rescue cover the harbour estate, on the water and near water.

"We are signed off by the Coastguard to be one of their agents. We are on pagers just like the RNLI so if somebody goes in the water or goes missing we get called and come and try to find them.

"We also get a lot of events. We just finished the Maritime Festival at the weekend. It's lovely engaging with the community and talking to people. We've also got the BBC Biggest Weekender. Hopefully we get to listen to a bit of music and enjoy ourselves and that it's a safe event for everybody."

But weekend jobs are a mixed bag for crew, who can find themselves up to the neck in 8 degree water - or four degrees in winter - or searching the nooks and crannies of the bay for a person who has been missing for weeks.

"A lot of people come here to take their own life," said Noel. "It's hard on the volunteers, but not as hard as it is on the families."

Despite the knocks, Noel said they all believe in what they are doing.

He continued: "We are all volunteers giving over our time freely and we have jobs to go to at the end of the day, so your time off is precious, but we all believe in what we are doing so people give it up freely.

"We are always looking for more volunteers and funding. We are completely voluntary organisation, we don't get paid by anybody, but it costs a lot to run these organisations.

"If people feel like this is something they would like to do, please get in touch, or if there's any companies that would like to make some big charitable donations, we would be delighted to take your money."

On Tuesday night the crew had planned a four part exercise where they would rescue planted casualties from the water as well as a car that crashed nearby, but they had to abandon the exercise and someone needed their help for real.

Hats off to you guys.



