Kerry County Council Press & Communications Office Communicating with the Public in emergency situations Padraig Corkery, Press & Communications Officer

Communicating in Emergency Situations

Role of the Communications Office  To keep the public, Council staff and other agencies informed about the work of Kerry County Council and the 3 Town Councils.  To promote the positive work of the Local Authorities  To alert the people of the county about issues that may affect them.

Communicating in Emergency Situations Who do we communicate with?  The Public  Fellow council staff Different Departments Different Areas Indoor/Outdoor  Other agencies HSE Gardaí Civil Defence

Communicating in Emergency Situations Methods of Communication  Local Radio Radio Kerry Raidio na Gaeltachta  Newspapers Local  Kerry’s Eye  Kerryman  Freesheets (Advertisers/Outlook) National  Websites Kerry County Council ( AA Roadwatch( )  Social Media Twitter Facebook

Communicating in Emergency Situations

Radio Kerry Main method of Communication with public  75% of all people in Kerry listen to Radio Kerry on a weekly basis This rises during periods of severe weather (snow & ice, flooding)  First bulletin: 8am & hourly until 5.30pm  Main bulletins: 9am, 1pm, 5.30pm  Updates from presenters between News Bulletins  Can get information on radio from 7am-12 midnight

Communicating in Emergency Situations Communications During Big Freeze (Roads) Positive working relationship with Radio Kerry makes this possible.  Information is accurate, timely & of significant county-wide interest (Travel, work, school etc)  Comms Office in contact roads crews between 6.30am-7.30am for status report  Report given to Radio Kerry for 8am news (first news bulletin)  Report posted on KCC website.  Raidio na Gaeltachta also receive reports  Updated as conditions change.

Communicating in Emergency Situations Communication during Big Freeze (Water)  Timeline: Roads issues changed to Water issues Freezing Pipes (No Water) Thaw (Burst Pipes/Water cut-offs)  Almost 90 Water Supplies  Hourly communication with Water Area Engineers in relation to locations of concern Engineers in constant contact with Caretakers  Now Road & Water updates Breakages/outages/advice/notification of planned outages

Communicating in Emergency Situations Social Media/Websites Twitter/Facebook  Growing method of communication  Short, brief messages, which are forwarded by users.  Many people receive updates in form of text messages. Websites   

Communicating in Emergency Situations Social Media  Twitter: 1,242 Followers  Facebook: 408 Winter Period  200 Weather related tweets (Nov to end Jan)  Simultaneous updates (Radio, F’book, Twitter)  Tweetdeck (Laptop)  Gravity (Mobile Phone)

Communicating in Emergency Situations Social Media  Tweets/updates quickly spread around  Mainstream media picking them up AA Roadwatch RTE website/twitter feed  Large increase in followers over winter weather period  Minimal two-way communication. Limited time/resources to respond. Info from public:  How accurate? (Retweet and pass onto Radio?)  Pass onto outdoor staff?

Communicating in Emergency Situations

Working with the Community  Provision of grit dumps.  Over 80 locations around the county  Locations advertised through Media, websites, with interactive maps  Public invited to help themselves  IFA were contacted in this regard  Public used grit for: Driveways/footpaths/yards Local roads which had not been gritted Neighbours yards

Communicating in Emergency Situations Grit Dumps  Hugely positive/Great Response  Giving Communities the tools to help themselves  Reduced some pressure from Council Staff  Locals helping locals Local Knowledge. Where are the bad areas? Local machinery. Tractors/JCBs. No need for equipment to have to travel in Needs of vulnerable people catered for (Medical etc) Business able to operate (Milk trucks).  Allowing communities to assist themselves without input from Council

Communicating in Emergency Situations Grit Locations

Communicating in Emergency Situations Communicating with Communities  Kerry County Council are not looking to insert themselves into the community  Strong feeling that existing structures should be utilised  Community Groups  GAA  Rural Social Scheme  ICA  IFA/Farming organisations

Communicating in Emergency Situations Communicating with Communities  Not looking to change these structures.  Thinking behind it…  Local groups know the geography better  Know the people better, their skills, strengths & weaknesses  Working in the community and know what’s happening.  Already carrying out this work.  Who is vulnerable, where they live, the challenges that may face them, who can help them.  Not necessary for Council/Agencies to get involved.

Communicating in Emergency Situations Communicating with the Communities  However…  PRAs & Agencies need to know who to communicate with in each community. Group/Community leaders who hold the local knowledge, and are in a position to provide assistance.  Not necessary to know who does what, or how they do it. Simply to know who to contact in a community, to get the ball rolling.

Communicating in Emergency Situations Communicating with Communities  Conversely  Communities need to know who to contact within the PRAs & Agencies Contact persons in their area Who the right person is to contact What to tell them If they recognise a gap in their area that could be filled by an agency (training, provision of advice etc)  Also to recognise when a situation escalates & cannot be handled by local community ‘TWO WAY COMMUNICATION’

Communicating in Emergency Situations Structures Community Structures PRA & Agency Structures Escalation to Crisis

Communicating in Emergency Situations List Community Skills & Strengths  Set out/present what skills/equipment are available within the local community  Find out/Assess who is capable of doing what  Trade/Skill (Carpentry, 4x4 driving)  Medical (Defib training, First Aid etc)  Keep them updated & available  If someone comes in from outside, with no knowledge of area or people, can they operate.  Available if assistance sought by PRAs/Agencies

Communicating in Emergency Situations Community Database  Updated lists of people, contact numbers etc  Vulnerable people  Who lives near them and is available to check on them  Those with certain skills, qualifications  First Aid  Garda Clearance etc  Specialist insurances etc  Those with equipment and training, insurance to operate  Plant & Machinery, 4x4  Chainsaw etc  Who holds these databases (Community Decision)

Communicating in Emergency Situations Ideal Scenario  Local community work on a local level among themselves to ensure vulnerable people are being looked after.  When the situation escalates: Local community know who to contact among the PRAs Provides local assistance/knowledge to improve the response time.

Communicating in Emergency Situations Ideal Scenario  Elderly person lives 1 mile from major route (treated) up steep incline, bye-road. Community have assisted with access by PHN  Medical condition worsens.  Ambulance Centre informed of difficulty with access.  Call made by HSE to local community to assist  Local community bring patient down to junction of major road using tractor/4x4.

Communicating in Emergency Situations Go Raibh Maith Agaibh