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Government launches Be Winter Ready Information Campaign

‘You, Your Community & The Winter’

  • Huge growth in demand for Seniors Alert Scheme
  • Fuel allowance to assist over 370k householders 
  • Additional supports for rough sleepers 
  • Financial assistance for homes affected by flooding
  • 258,000 tonnes of salt available for country’s roads

The Government today launched the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ 2018 -2019 Information Campaign focusing this year on building strong communities and looking out for the vulnerable. 

The ‘Be Winter-Ready’ campaign is intended to raise awareness about the particular challenges that winter can present.

This is now an established and important annual event impacting across the whole public service.

20181107 Winter Ready

Government Task Force on Emergency Planning

The campaign highlights the ‘Whole of Government’ approach being taken to winter preparations.  This sort of approach was seen during recent storms Ophelia, Emma, and Ali, which posed challenges for communities, businesses, Government Departments and Agencies.

Importantly, the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ campaign informs the public of what is being done in relation to winter preparations and where they can source valuable information that can assist them through a difficult period.

The Office of Emergency Planning, in collaboration with their colleagues in the Department of Rural and Community Development, have designed and produced a leaflet on building strong communities. This leaflet is available on the winterready.ie website.

This year’s leaflet emphasises the role of local residents’ associations and community alert groups to prepare community responses to emergencies. It also encourages people to consider particularly vulnerable neighbours; for example, older people, families with young children, and people with disabilities or mobility problems.

Speaking at today’s launch,  Minister Ring said:

The message of the ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign is simple: communities need to be informed, prepare in advance and work together to be winter ready this year and every year. I hope that this ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign will be the catalyst for encouraging communities to prepare for future emergencies in order to help minimise the impact that that these events can have.

The Press Release can be read in full here