COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, November 13, 2017
QUESTION NO.12
QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney
To ask the Chief Executive to provide details on how emergency situations such as extreme weather warnings are communicated to Councillors; to ask why Councillors are not included in terms of communications in the Council's Major Emergency Plan; and that, noting the "on-the-ground" presence of Councillors in communities, their connections with local groups and their ability to spread messages widely and quickly, will he include Councillors in the next review of the Major Emergency Plan and ensure that Councillors are fully updated on all major emergencies, weather warnings and other relevant events?
REPLY:
By definition major emergencies are rare events, which can occur with little or no warning. South Dublin County Council's Major Emergency Plan was prepared in accordance with the requirements of “A Framework for Major Emergency Management” (2006) and sets out the arrangements which will facilitate the Council's response to any Major Emergency. The Major Emergency Plan shall be activated following a formal declaration by the Chief Executive or South Dublin County Council personnel nominated by the Chief Executive that a Major Emergency exists. The plan is also activated on the notification of a declaration of a Major Emergency by any of the following: An Garda Síochána, Health Service Executive and a Government Department.
While this incident was not declared a Major Emergency in the South Dublin Area, many of the processes from the Major Emergency Management System were utilised, the provision of information to the public and the Elected Members before, during and after a response to an incident is a very important part of the MEP communications strategy, it takes two forms, warning and informing.
During Ex-hurricane Ophelia the Council used social media including Web, Facebook and Twitter to keep the Public and Elected Members updated with the latest news and projections.
On Friday 13th October Met Eireann and the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management issued a Level Orange Weather Warning for gale force wind as Ex-hurricane Ophelia tracked across the Country. At this stage availability of crews for the weekend ahead was assessed and plans put in place if required. The status Orange level warning remained in place until Sunday evening when a Status Red Warning was issued for the entire Country. Following this South Dublin County Council issued a notice on the web site and via social media that the Parks, Libraries and Sports and Community facilities would be closed on Monday 16th.
A meeting was organised for the Crisis Management Team for 8:30am on Monday morning. Notice was issued to Councillors and then to staff that the council offices would be closed from 12pm and all staff should be safely at their homes by this time. Operational staff remained on standby to respond if required.
South Dublin County Council participated in the Eastern Region co-ordination of the Principle Response Agencies (PRA’s). An incident room was set up by An Garda Síochána in Hardcourt Street and a number of conference calls were held to co-ordinate the effort of the 4 Dublin Authorities, Dublin Fire Brigade, the HSE and An Garda Síochána.
South Dublin County Council communicated information and updates to the public via social media and to the Councillors directly via emails throughout the storm. There were a total of 50 posts across the Facebook and Twitter platforms reaching approximately 167,000 and 175,000 respectively. These notices were also displayed on the South Dublin County Council website. Many Councillors did retweet these post and South Dublin County Council are appreciative of this. Councillors were emailed directly on a number of occasions during Storm Ophelia on Monday 16th October updating them on the current situation.
The media and communication sub group of the Eastern Region meet on a regular basis and will continually review how messages and information is communicated to both the public and the Elected Members.