And now for a new blizzard action plan

March 1978

An emergency plan is being devised in Wexford to help with relief work in the event that the county is ever hit again by such severe blizzards as was experienced in recent weeks.

People hardest hit during the arctic conditions were those living in isolated rural areas, and the plan is primarily to help those.

Many old people were cut off for days, and it was only when the huge drifts were cleared and rescuers got through that the hardships many of them suffered became known.

The emergency plan is being drawn up by the Wexford Community Services Council, in conjunction with Wexford County Council and the South Eastern Health Board.

A meeting of representatives from the three organisations will hopefully be held in the near future to draw up a plan of co-ordinated relief, should it ever be needed.

Behind the move is the Services Council, who saw the need for such a plan during the recent blizzards. They have already got support for the idea from the County Manager, Mr. Noel Dillon, and will soon be getting in touch with the C.E.O. of the South Eastern Health Board, Mr. Peter McQuillan, to also seek his approval.

It is envisaged that when the plan is finalised, and should the need for its implementation arise, that the County Council would carry out the important work of clearing the road; the Health Board would provide fuel and food; and the Services Council would co-ordinate the entire effort through their voluntary organisations.

Services Council Chairman, Mr. Tom Honan, stresses the need for such a plan: ‘ There is a definite need for a co-ordinated plan to bring relief to people should something like this happen again. There is not much point in all the individual bodies trying to bring relief separately,’ he said.