Publication
Types of Emergencies
From Department of Defence; Office of Emergency Planning
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Defence; Office of Emergency Planning
Published on
Last updated on
The most common emergencies that arise concern unexpected events which require a rapid response from the emergency services - the Garda Síochána, the Health Services Executive and the fire service. Other emergencies require a longer term sustained response from the emergency services and various State agencies.
The following could constitute a major emergency:
Although rare in Ireland, severe weather emergencies such as storms and hurricanes have caused damage to properties in the past. In case of such emergencies, Met Eireann will immediately respond to international weather warnings and issue public service weather alerts to local authorities. Your local authority will have arrangements in place to receive and respond promptly to these alerts.
Each local authority is required by the Framework for Major Emergency Management to have a sub-plan for responding to severe weather emergencies. A national framework for response to severe weather emergencies is being developed to ensure that all existing local severe weather plans are appropriately coordinated and linked.
Flooding is usually caused by a combination of events, including overflowing riverbanks, coastal storms or blocked or overloaded drainage ditches. There have been a number of severe floods throughout the country in the last decade. The impact of a flood can be devastating for a community, so it is important that people whose properties may be at risk take appropriate action to protect their homes from such an emergency.
Changes in rainfall patterns and a rise in sea levels as a result of climate change may lead to more frequent and severe flooding incidents in the future.
Effective measures can be taken to prepare for such incidents and minimise the resulting damage and difficulties in their aftermath. Such preparations are particularly necessary if you live in a flooding risk area.
The Office of Public Works has produced an information booklet on the preparations you can take, what should be in a Family Flood Plan, insurance issues, advice for the elderly and those with mobility difficulties, and the signs to look out for that would indicate a flood is imminent.
Exposure to hazardous chemicals that have been spilled or released can cause serious or even fatal injury. In the event of such an incident the emergency services will identify the nature and level of danger and tell the public what to do.
You may be asked either to remain in the protection of your home or workplace and seal windows and doors, or to evacuate the area. If the chemicals have a higher density than air, emergency services may ask you to move to higher ground. For your safety, in all circumstances, follow the advice of the emergency services.
If a spill or other chemical release occurs it is important to:
If you are asked to stay indoors following a chemical spill:
If you believe a toxic chemical has been released in a closed space such as a tunnel, underground railway or building:
Transport accidents are the most regular of all emergency situations, with their sudden and unexpected nature requiring a rapid and co-ordinated response from the emergency services.
Ireland has experienced such events including the Air India crash off the Irish coast in 1985, rail crashes such as those at Buttevant in 1982 and Cherryville in 1983 and major road accidents such as the bus crash at Kentstown in 2005.
In the last few years Ireland, in common with most EU countries, has engaged in the review and development of its major emergency or civil protection arrangements. This has resulted in the production of a new document, the Framework for Major Emergency Management.
The purpose of this document is to put arrangements in place to enable the three principal response agencies - the local authorities, An Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive, to co-ordinate their efforts whenever a major emergency occurs. The document governs the response to major transport accidents as well as other emergencies.
In the event of vessels or individuals getting into difficulties in Irish waters, the Irish Coast Guard is the service responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of search and rescue operations. The Coast Guard also co-ordinates the response to persons at risk of death or injury on the cliffs or shoreline of the Republic of Ireland.
Search and rescue operations are co-ordinated from one of the three Coast Guard rescue centres at Dublin, Valentia and Malin Head.
Depending on the gravity of the situation the Coast Guard will deploy Coast Guard helicopters, RNLI lifeboats, Coast Guard Units and Community Rescue boats. If required, additional resources will be requested from the naval service, Air Corps, vessels at sea, Garda Water Unit, air traffic services, fire brigade and Civil Defence.
What to do (in the event of the emergency)
If you notice that somebody is in difficulty in the water (e.g. sea, river, lake, or cliffs), dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard. The service is free. Please do not leave it for another person to call.
A pollution incident at sea is defined as any occasion when a vessel requests assistance (other than search and rescue) due to damage or machinery failure with actual or threatened spill of oil or other hazardous noxious substances.
It is usually a result of a marine casualty e.g. grounding, collision, fire or sinking. The response action may include salvage assistance to the vessel and will cover threatened or actual spill of oil or other substance at sea, and/or shoreline clean up.
Response Action
The Irish Coast Guard is the authority responsible for managing marine emergency incidents by monitoring, intervention and exercising ultimate command and control of the incident. This includes casualty response to vessels in need of assistance and pollution response arising from the threat of or actual spillage or loss of oil or hazardous and noxious substances, which threaten the Irish coastline or related interests.
What to do (in the event of the emergency)
Contact the Irish Coast Guard by dialing 999 or 112. The Coast Guard will assess the incident and respond accordingly depending on the nature of the incident.
Bomb explosion
Receiving a suspicious package
Be on the alert if you receive a package from someone you don't know. Pay particular attention to any package that appears to be badly wrapped or have an unusual shape. DO NOT open the package unless you are confident that you know what it contains and who has sent it. If you are in any way suspicious:
If you have opened a suspicious package - leave it where it is and if possible cover it.
Nuclear incidents abroad that could affect Ireland include an accident at a nuclear plant, a terrorist attack on a nuclear plant or a nuclear explosion in another country.
Consequences for Ireland
The impact on Ireland would depend on the nature of the incident and the prevailing wind direction and weather conditions.
If radioactivity from an incident in the UK or elsewhere overseas reached Ireland, the distance from overseas nuclear plants means the increase in radioactivity levels (over normal background levels) would be relatively small but would occur over a wide area.
While no immediate health effects are likely to occur as a result of radiation doses received, a large number of people could be exposed to a long-term but small increase in radiation exposure. This could lead to an increased lifetime risk of cancer.
Consumption of contaminated foodstuffs is the most significant potential route of radiation dose. However this exposure could be almost totally prevented by introducing appropriate controls on the distribution and consumption of foodstuffs.
There could be significant disruption of the economy.
What to do in the event of a nuclear incident
Go in, Stay in, Tune in. In other words, stay indoors and listen to both radio and television for information and instructions.
Once information is available on the accident and its consequences, specific advice will be given. This will include advice on whether it is necessary to stay indoors, to avoid consumption of locally-grown foods or to take any other steps.
Evacuation is not advisable for this type of emergency. It would expose people to a larger dose of radioactivity during the passage of a radioactive plume as vehicles offer little protection.
In contrast staying indoors is an effective protective measure to reduce radiation exposure during the passage of the radioactive plume. Staying indoors should not be required for more than a few hours.
With the availability of up-to-the-minute information from our international partners through bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Commission, the relevant authorities will be in a position to keep the public well informed at all times on the latest situation and advice.
Public Guidance
The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the EPA Office of Radiological Protection have published information on the National Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents on their websites.
Flu Pandemic
Influenza (or flu) is an acute respiratory illness caused by infection with an influenza virus. It can be a serious illness and should not be confused with a cold.
When a flu epidemic spreads across a region or worldwide it is called a pandemic. Pandemic influenza is therefore a worldwide flu epidemic caused by a new influenza strain which spreads easily between humans and which causes serious illness.
History of Pandemics
Influenza pandemics are naturally occurring events, with three having occurred in the 20th Century - in 1918, 1957 and 1968. Of these the 1918 pandemic was by far the most serious resulting in about 40 million deaths worldwide. There will be more pandemics, but when they might occur, how severe they might be, and which age groups they might impact upon cannot be predicted.
Preparing for a Pandemic
The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive published the National Pandemic Influenza Plan as well as the advice of the expert group on pandemic influenza in January 2007.
The public has a key role to play in managing a pandemic and should one become imminent they will be asked to prepare their own personal plans to manage the situation. These will include arrangements for taking care of sick family members, stockpiling essential supplies and minimising the spread of the virus. It is envisaged that a pandemic could lead to very substantial numbers of the workforce becoming ill within a concentrated time.
Public Guidance
Within the Further Reading section, you will find more detailed plans for pandemics. You may also wish to consult the websites of the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive.
Department of Agriculture Fisheries, Food and the Marine has contingency plans in place to deal with outbreaks of serious animal diseases, including Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), Newcastle Disease, Classical Swine Fever, and Bluetongue.
Foot and Mouth disease is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal viral disease of cattle and pigs. It can also affect other animals with cloven hooves such as goats, deer and sheep.
The rapid spread of the virus and its subsequent ability to damage the livestock industry is the reason immediate action is taken if the disease is discovered anywhere. During a major outbreak in Britain and Northern Ireland in 2001, the virus spread into County Louth. However, strict Irish Government policies on the movement of livestock and the cancellation of some large events ensured that the outbreak was contained and did not spread any further into the Republic.
Avian Influenza or Bird Flu is a disease affecting birds and some mammals. All evidence to date indicates that the virus does not spread easily from birds to humans. Most human cases have been related to direct contact with infected poultry, or surfaces and objects contaminated by their faeces. Typically they have occurred in rural areas or areas where many households keep small poultry flocks. In such instances it has been found that the poultry flocks often roam freely, sometimes entering homes or sharing outdoor areas where children play.
It is important to remember that cooking destroys the virus in eggs and poultry, so both are perfectly safe to eat once cooked.
Newcastle Disease is a highly contagious viral disease of birds to which chickens are highly susceptible. The severity of the disease depends on which particular strain of the virus (of which there are many) has caused the disease. It is endemic in some parts of the world where disease outbreaks are not prevented or controlled by vaccination. The virus could be introduced into Ireland by migratory birds, racing pigeons or trade in pet birds or poultry and their products. Although Newcastle disease outbreaks have occurred in Ireland in the past, controls on trade, vaccination, and good bio-security practices are in place to keep infection out of our commercial flocks.
Classical Swine Fever is a viral disease of pigs that can range in severity from acute to chronic and can result in death, reproductive failure, wasting, recurrent illness or congenital infection. It has serious implications for farmers in that the virus can be spread through direct animal contact, contaminated materials, or from infected sows to their piglets. The only way to eliminate the disease is to destroy all infected animals and their products. The virus can also survive in poorly cooked meat or in some cured products. Department of Agriculture Fisheries, Food and the Marine has a contingency plan in place for protecting the national pig herd.
Bluetongue is a viral disease of ruminants including sheep, cattle, deer and goats. It is transmitted mostly by the bites of Culicoides midges that are prevalent throughout most of Europe in various habitats including farms. It is not spread through direct contact between animals and it is not shed into the environment to contaminate housing, equipment, footwear or clothing. Neither is it carried in milk or meat and it does not infect people. It can have an enormous impact on trade in live animals as very large areas are restricted as part of the control measures. The disease appeared in northern Europe for the first time in autumn 2006 and has never occurred in Ireland. However, with global warming, it is now possible that this could happen. The Department of Agriculture and Food has developed a contingency plan to deal with a disease outbreak should it occur.
In the event of avian flu, foot and mouth or other serious animal disease occurring, the public will be told the nature and scale of the problem and will be kept fully informed as the situation develops.
You will find more detailed information and advice, including contingency measures, travel advice, handling of dead birds, guidelines for keepers of poultry and birds, etc. on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine website.
The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive are responsible for the public health aspects of the virus. Information on the risk to human health can be found on their websites at: www.health.gov.ie and www.hse.ie
A major emergency is any event which, usually with little or no warning, causes or threatens injury or death, serious disruption of essential services or damage to property, the environment or infrastructure beyond the normal capabilities of the principal emergency services. It requires the mobilisation of additional resources to ensure an effective and co-ordinated response.
Each Principal Response Agency (Garda Síochána, Health Service Executive and local authorities) has an individual major emergency plan, which sets out its arrangements to respond to major emergencies. These agencies' plans are in turn consistent with the arrangements set out in the Framework for Major Emergency Management. There are also specific plans in place to respond to other types of emergencies, such as a nuclear incident or an influenza pandemic.
The Framework for Major Emergency Management was finalised in 2008 following a review of the 1984 Framework for Co-Ordinated Response to Major Emergencies. The principal response agencies are now working to incorporate this new framework into their own existing emergency plans. Further information on the implementation of the Framework is contained at mem.ie. On other pages of this site you will find details of plans to respond to a wide range of emergencies.