“Be Winter-Ready” Information Campaign

Q&As for launch on 8 November 2017

#bewinterready

  1. What is the purpose of the campaign?
  2. Who should I call if I need advice or guidance during a severe weather emergency?
  3. How much has the campaign cost?
  4. What about members of the public who do not have access to the internet?
  5. What is the likelihood of another severe winter?
  6. Why are Atlantic storms so destructive?
  7. What is the likelihood of a winter characterized by severe storms?
  8. What was the impact of the 2015/2016 flooding?
  9. What was the impact of the damage caused by the severe flooding in Donegal in August 2017?
  10. What was the cause of the flooding in Donegal in August 2017?
  11. What extra assistance is provided to Local Authorities to enable them to respond to flooding, severe weather and other emergencies?
  12. Who is responsible for responding to a weather-related emergency?
  13. What has the Government done to prepare?
  14. How do Local Authorities provide warnings to the public?
  15. What actions were taken by Public Authorities in response to ex-Hurricane Ophelia?
  16. What was the extent of the damage caused by ex-Hurricane Ophelia?
  17. What lessons have been learned by recent experiences?
  18. What will happen if we get another severe winter?
  19. How far ahead can Met Éireann warn of severe weather?
  20. Is the climate changing?
  21. Did we not have a lot of storms in the past few winters?
  22. Will we be naming storms this winter?
  23. Is flooding likely to be a problem again this winter?
  24. How can we get information on power supply interruptions?
  25. Will transport services be disrupted by severe weather?
  26. Where can I get Contact Details for Transport Operators?
  27. How do I check whether my Bus/Train/Luas is running?
  28. How can I get information on road conditions?
  29. What steps can I take to prepare for the coming winter?
  30. Are sufficient supplies of salt in the country to keep our roads open?
  31. How many snow ploughs and salt spreaders do we have in the country?
  32. How do I check if my road route has been salted?
  33. Where can I get more information on airports?
  34. Should I clear my footpath if it snows?
  35. Can I be sued if I clear my footpath and somebody subsequently falls?
  36. What is Government Policy on Flood Risk Management?
  37. Who is responsible for flood protection works?
  38. What is the Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme?
  39. What is the Government doing to lessen the effects of flooding?
  40. Does OPW address flood risk in a strategic way?
  41. Will Ireland have a Flood Forecasting Service?
  42. What is the role of the Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group?
  43. What is the Government doing about the availability of flood insurance?
  44. What is the role of the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group?
  45. How are the water levels on the Shannon managed?
  46. Will cleaning our rivers prevent flooding?
  47. Will the River Shannon be cleaned?
  48. Will people who flood be relocated?
  49. Severe weather can impact on the farming community – where can we get advice?
  50. What is the Government’s role in assisting businesses?
  51. What about school closures?
  52. What is Bus Éireann’s new policy in relation to School Transport Services in the event Met Éireann issues a Red Weather warning?
  53. What about schools in the event of Bus Eireann’s withdrawing of school buses following a red alert?
  54. Why did Bus Eireann implement this policy when they did?
  55. What actions were taken previously to School Transport Services when bad weather occurred? (Will School Transport Services be cancelled in the event of other weather warnings- or adverse weather conditions?)
  56. Was there consultation with the Department of Education on the policy?
  57. How is this policy being communicated?
  58. What about the voluntary sector?
  59. What is the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning?
  60. What is the purpose of the National Emergency Coordination Centre?
  61. What other arrangements are there in place for providing information to the public?
  1. What is the purpose of the campaign?
    The purpose of the campaign is to provide adviceand information to help the public be better prepared to deal with a period of severe weather. A website available to provide practical advice and contactdetails of the main services that can provide help in extreme weather-related emergencies. The campaign is also to inform and reassure people that the Government has made preparations for the winter.The key message of the campaign is:
    “to be prepared, stay safe and know where to get help should you need it”.
  1. Who should I call if I need advice or guidance during a severe weather emergency?

The Website provides a range of numbers that you should call if you need information or advice from a range of response agencies and service providers. In the event of an acute emergency, the emergency services can be contacted by dialing 112 or 999.

  1. How much has the campaign cost?
    The costs of the campaign have been kept to a minimum. Departments are working together and utilizing existing budgets. The totalcost this year isestimated to be approximately €45,000.
  1. What about members of the public who do not have access to the internet?

A synopsis of the advice and contact information on the website is contained in a hardcopy booklet which can be obtained from from the Office of Emergency Planning at LoCall 1890-252736 or a limited quantity can be ordered by emailing

  1. What is the likelihood of another severe winter?

Comparable winters (over recent decades) to that of 2010/11 were in 2009/10, 1983/84, 1978/79, 1962/63 and 1946/47. Such winters occur roughly once every ten years, so the percentage chance of the coming winter being as severe as that of 2010/11 is approx 10%

The answer is we cannot say – but our message is ‘it is always better to be prepared’.

  1. Why are Atlantic storms so destructive?

Atlantic storms that affect our country can be characterised by a combination of strong winds, heavy rain. When these are allied with extremely high tides widespread damage and disruption can be caused. The destructive power of Atlantic storms if primarily felt at the coast, where high waves can drive inland well beyond their usual limit and damage houses, roads and infrastructure.

  1. What is the likelihood of a winter characterized by severe storms?

A recent study by the Irish Climate and Research Unit at NUI Maynooth, in collaboration with the Centre for Hydrological and Ecosystem Science at Loughborough University, found that the winter of 2013/2014 was the stormiest for at least 143 years when storm frequency and intensity are considered together. While every winter sees Atlantic storms and episodes of high winds, the storm that occurred 12 February 2014 was an exceptional event. Mean wind speeds above storm force (90km/h) were experienced widely in southwest and western coastal counties from Cork to Mayo. Gusts in excess of 110 km/h were prevalent across the southern half of the country; many stations experienced gusts above 130km/h, while the maximum gust of 160km/h was recorded in Shannon Airport. Storms of this ferocity are not often experienced in Ireland; the most recent comparable events were the storms of December 24 1997 and December 26 1998. Historically the so-called “Night of the Big Wind” on 6/7 January 1839 caused widespread damage throughout Ireland and parts of Britain, and more storms through February 1903 had similar devastating effects. While there is evidence to suggest that severe storms are becoming more frequent, the storms in 2014 could be considered a one in a hundred year event.

  1. What was the impact of the 2015/2016 flooding?

The exceptional and in some areas record breaking rainfall that caused some of the worst flooding in Irelands history began in November 2015 and continued right up until early January 2016. This weather was punctuated by a series of Atlantic Storms including Storms Desmond, Eva and Frank. Rainfall totals over the period were 189% of normal, making it the wettest winter ever recorded.

The worst affected areas were the west, southwest and the areas along the Shannon and its tributaries and later the South East. Homes and businesses were flooded, transport links severely impacted and disruption was caused to everyday life for people in large swathes of the country. One of the most notable aspects of this severe weather emergency was its longevity, with flooding persisting in some areas into April 2016 and indeed longer in the turlough regions of South Galway.

The flooding presented an enormous challenge to the response agencies and the appropriate apparatus of state was mobilised.

The most acute and visible impacts of the flooding were to homes and businesses that were damaged by floodwaters and others that were cut off for extended periods of time. Transport infrastructure was severely disrupted and extensive damage was caused principally to the roads network. Large areas of farmland were flooded impacting on agricultural activity and raising animal welfare concerns.

A full report into the 2015/2016 flooding event is available on the DHPLG website.

  1. What was the impact of the damage caused by the severe flooding in Donegal in August 2017

On Tuesday 22nd of August an extreme pluvial rainfall event occurred in Donegal which caused extensive damage and disruption, particularly to the communities in the Inishowen Peninsula area. Damage was widespread and severe with households suddenly inundated suddenly. The damage to road infrastructure was extensive and many bridges and culverts were badly damaged. Landslides in some areas caused property damage as well as damage to farmland. It is understood that a possible factor in some landslides may have been wildland fires earlier this year that burned away scrub/ gorse and trees on hillsides. The cost of the damage to roads infrastructure is estimated to be in excess of €15m

Most people whose homes were affected self-evacuated and went to stay with relatives or friends. A number of families were assisted to re-locate and temporary accommodation was arranged for a small number of families. The initial estimate is that 200 homes were affected by flooding, including 20 local authority houses, many with what would be characterised as severe damage.

  1. What was the cause of the flooding in Donegal in August 2017

Flooding can arise in four different sources - tidal, fluvial (overflowing rivers), groundwater and pluvial (rainfall). The flooding in Donegal was a pluvial flooding event arising from sudden and extreme rainfall.

While the likelihood of severe pluvial events may be anticipated, it should be noted that, despite continuous monitoring of weather systems by Met Éireann and the operation of the Meteo-alarm weather warning alerts, it is not possible to forecast the actual intensity of sudden pluvial rainfall or the locations where a pluvial event such as occurred in Inishowen might occur.

There are a number of existing flood forecasting systems in place, dealing particularly with locations which have histories of tidal and river flooding. A medium term project is underway to develop a more generic flood forecasting system for the Irish river network. However, it should be noted that, even when the new national flood forecasting and warning system is developed and calibrated, it will not forecast the type of sudden intense rainfall event that occurred in Donegal on 22 August 2017.

Similar events have occurred previously, for example the rainfall event in the Dublin area on the night of 24 October 2011, when two persons lost their lives. It should be noted that every area of the country, urban and rural, is at risk from this type of flood event, that it is not possible to forecast such events sufficiently in advance to provide a warning for communities who are likely to be affected, and that property cannot be protected from pluvial flooding in the same way as it can from predictable river or tidal flooding.

  1. What extra assistance is provided to Local Authorities to enable them to respond to flooding, severe weather and other emergencies?

The recoupment of unbudgeted local authority expenditure associated with the response to and clean-up after significant emergencies of all kinds has been the policy since the commencement of the use of the Framework for Major Emergency Management, in which local authorities are designated as a Principal Response Agency.

This approach was applied after the severe flooding of November 2009, the two severe cold periods of January and December 2010, the winter storms of 2013/14, the flooding of winter 2015/2016 (when €18m was made available), and most recently following the Donegal flooding of August 2017 and ex-Hurricane Ophelia.

  1. Who is responsible for responding to a weather-related emergency?

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (D/HPLG) is designated as Lead Government Department for co-ordinating the response at national level to severe weather and flooding situations. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport plays a major supporting role as transport is one of the main sectors affected by severe weather. The Office of Public Works leads in developing flood defences and infrastructure projects in flood-prone areas.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) within the Department (D/HPLG) is tasked with receiving and assessing weather warnings and reports on events around the country.

The Directorate assesses each situation in light of available information and makes decisions whether or not to convene a National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) meeting, in line with procedures developed over the years and now set out in the recently Government approved “Strategic Emergency Management - National Framework” document.

The response to all emergencies is appropriately locally-led in the first instance. Local Authorities are designated as the Lead Agency for responding to severe weather events. The generic response arrangements are detailed in ‘A Framework for Major Emergency Management’ 2006. Specific guidance for responding to severe weather events is outlined in ‘A Guide to Flood Emergencies’ 2013 and ‘A Guide to Severe Weather Events’ 2010. Local authorities have severe weather sub-plans in place based on this guidance material.

In their role as Lead Agency, local authorities carried out a number of functions during the response stage and continue to deal with recovery issues in conjunction with other responsible agencies. The local authority role included:

  • Coordinating an inter-agency response;
  • Continuously monitoring forecasts/ alerts/ warnings to scale the appropriate response measures;
  • Operating Flood Defences and deploying sand-bag defences;
  • Clearing debris and fallen trees;
  • Flood Rescue and pumping water; and
  • Public Communication.

Local authorities monitor weather forecasts. Met Éireann alerts local authorities directly when severe weather is forecast and such warnings are received by a Severe Weather Assessment Team within a local authority. The Severe Weather Assessment Team take the appropriate action to scale a response and to ensure resources are in place to support a response. During the recent episodes of severe weather this approach helped to anticipate and prepare for the response required by local authorities.

When required local authorities liaise with the other Principal Response Agencies (HSE, An Garda Síochána) and where necessary activate inter-agency structures to manage the response.

  1. What has the Government done to prepare?
    The role of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning is to ensure that there is coordination across the various departments and agencies. At this morning’s meeting of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning all of the relevant Departments and Agencies provided a briefing on what steps have been taken in order to be prepared. Each Agency is available to provide a briefing to the media.
  1. How do Local Authorities provide warnings to the public?

Some Local Authorities provide a pre-registered SMS text messaging service to mobile phones for their areas which you can sign-up for. Others provide details over their Web pages and on social media via Twitter and Facebook. In addition local media including local radio are used to issue public information, weather warnings and public safety advice.

  1. What actions were taken by Public Authorities in response to ex-Hurricane Ophelia?

On 16 October 2017 ex-Hurricane Ophelia impacted the country bringing winds in excess of 160km/hr and heavy rainfall. The track of the storm saw it traverse the country from south to north, impacting first in the South west, where the most severe impact was experienced, before moving up across the country.The anticipated severity of the storm and its track precipitated the issuing of a RED LEVEL weather warning by Met Eireann for the entire country. This was the first time a RED LEVEL weather warning has been issued affecting the entire 26 counties.

Local authorities are the Lead Agency in the response to severe weather, and all local authorities activated their local co-ordination structures and their Severe Weather Assessment Teams monitored the on-going situation.

At national level in the NDFEM acting on behalf of the DHPLG decided to convene a National Emergency Co-ordination Group on Sunday 15 October to review preparedness and consider the appropriate public safety messaging.