This article is from page 4 of the 2014-03-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
A FIREMAN from Ennis is being hailed as a hero for the second time after jumping to the aid of a drown- ing woman at the weekend. Eli Brace jumped off Sarsfield Bridge in Limerick City as the woman was swept under. Eli is a member of Limerick City Fire and Rescue Service. The Shannon-based Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter 115 had been dispatched to help out in the river rescue, but due to high winds the winch man could not reach the woman. Eli then jumped from the bridge. The woman was being swept under the water when he rescued her from the water. The Ennis native was previously in the army before joining the fire services in 2008. He is a member of the fire service’s Swiftwater Rescue Team, who receive specific training to carry out rescues in river conditions. It is not the first time the married father has been involved in a dramatic river rescue. In March 2011, he was one of 10 members of the fire services who attended an emergency at Shannon Bridge in Limerick city. Emergency services were called to the scene after a man was seen entering the water. Eli, who is originally from the Cloughleigh area of the town, jumped into the water at Limerick Docks in order to save the man from drowning. In January, Eli was one of three people who co-opened Crossfit Ennis in the Quin Road area of Ennis. He spent his military career training soldiers in all aspects of fitness in his capacity as a PTI (Physical Training Instructor).