Emergency Services in Ireland - Can You Make Sense of Them ?

Indymedia has a report that in the recent floods, Wicklow County Fire Service and Wicklow County Council provided no emergency services to flood victims in spite of 250 people ringing the Dublin 16 August call service looking for help.

http://www.indymedia.ie/

Wicklow County Council's website gives this reassuring information:

Quote :

MAJOR EMERGENCY PLAN
The Council’s Major Emergency Plan was completely revised in 2003 and training seminars were held for all members of staff

At least one other County's out of hours number rang out as continuously engaged the same weekend when there was heavy flooding. People ringing the main number were in some cases asked why they hadn't rung the civil defence

Every household in Ireland was recently provided with this booklet on Major Emergencies. It is produced by the "Office of Emergency Planning". It gives you a number to ring in the event of flooding but does not say that there are any rescue services provided. It gives the main emergency numbers and advises people to ring them or their local authority (numbers aren't provided for either the local authority regular of out-of-hours numbers.

The Plan says that major emergencies are the responsibility of a "lead agency" depending on what has happened. Each Local Authority has a Major Emergency Plan. The first generation of plans in the 1990s put in place inter-agency teams usually lead by the County Engineer along with Fire, Ambulance and other services. These plans were brought into action on a few occasions and seem to have been effective. Since then the role of County Engineer has been abolished.

There are also cross-border issues between some counties, in which Fire Services are provided in border areas by one County, and fire inspections by the other.

http://www.emergencyplanning.ie/downloads/Emergency-Handbook-English.pdf

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Appendices2D.pdf/Files/Appendices2D.pdf

http://www.emergencyplanning.ie/downloads/Emergency-Handbook-Irish.pdf

So far as I can discover there is no system of flood warnings in Ireland for people in vulnerable zones, although it's usually feasible to anticipate down-stream flooding giving hours of advance notice to people to protect their homes or evacuate.

There was a recent call to the Joe Duffy show from someone in one of the western counties who had tried to call an ambulance for someone with a life threatening condition who was simply told there weren't any available.

The Dublin Fire Service runs an emergency ambulance service that is separate from the main ambulance service.

This site lists the different Fire Services around the country. Call outs are charged for.
http://www.irishfireservices.com/pages/fireauthorites.htm

35 million euro capital spending on fire and emergency buildings and equipment was announced by Batt O'Keefe last year.
http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/FireandEmergencyServices/News/MainBody,3153,en.htm

In spite of the recent investment, the feeling in my bones is that all is not well in emergency services in Ireland. Can anyone provide any more information or experiences ?

India Water Portal

This is a good water and flooding site.