Vehicle boost for the Civil Defence
THE Civil Defence Unit in Wexford is to be beefed up with a new four-wheel drive vehicle which will be used to respond to emergencies and severe weather events.
Minister with responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe, has this week allocated 32 new Ford Ranger crewcabs as part of the Government’s ongoing investment in Civil Defence.
And Wexford has been chosen for one of these vehicles.
‘Throughout our response to Covid-19, our Civil Defence and other volunteer agencies played a vital role in their respective communities,’ said Minister Kehoe.
‘From transporting patients to hospitals, nursing homes and testing centres to the collection of medications and medical equipment – we are rightly proud of our Civil Defence volunteers.
‘I’m therefore delighted that the Government is continuing to invest resources in Civil Defence, in this instance through the provision of vehicles.
‘This new vehicle will be an additional resource for those who give their time and work so hard in times of emergency.’
The new arrival, which is a Ford Ranger crewcab, will further enhance the Civil Defence fleet and ensure the organisation and its volunteers can continue to support the Principal Response Agencies of An Garda Síochána, the HSE and Local Authorities.
The Minister concluded by acknowledging and thanking Civil Defence volunteers and their families for their service to the organisation throughout the year, but especially since midMarch and the onset of COVID-19. He paid tribute to the Wexford volunteers and CDO Peter O’Connor for their ongoing commitment.
Since March 17, over 800 Civil Defence volunteers have provided 21,000 volunteer hours in over 2,500 individual taskings. This has seen them transport patients to hospitals, nursing homes and testing centres, collect medications and medical equipment and deliver them to patients homes, provide assistance to vulnerable persons within communities by delivering food and medication, support young people with special requirements in their education by delivering homework packs, and transport test samples for the HSE to laboratories.