Cllr. Domnick Connolly has warmly welcomed the establishment of Local Response Groups to transfer patients to Roscommon County Hospital in the more adverse weather conditions during the potentially frosty winter months.
This initiative, established recently by the Roscommon Fora Organisation and Roscommon IFA and in conjunction with An Gardai Siochana, will tackle the problem of bad weather conditions which leave some roads inaccessible to emergency vehicles, with the result that people run the risk of not been able to receive basic healthcare in the event of an accident or emergency in a timely manner.
To combat this problem,
…
Cllr. Domnick Connolly has warmly welcomed the establishment of Local Response Groups to transfer patients to Roscommon County Hospital in the more adverse weather conditions during the potentially frosty winter months.
This initiative, established recently by the Roscommon Fora Organisation and Roscommon IFA and in conjunction with An Gardai Siochana, will tackle the problem of bad weather conditions which leave some roads inaccessible to emergency vehicles, with the result that people run the risk of not been able to receive basic healthcare in the event of an accident or emergency in a timely manner.
To combat this problem, Local Response Groups have been formed and include volunteers who have agreed to have their names and contact details held by the Roscommon Community Fora Organisation and may be asked to aid their neighbours in a time of need.
The most likely scenario that may arise is the need for a 4-wheel drive vehicle that can get access to areas in the community that standard vehicles cannot reach ie ambulances. Owners of 4-wheel drive vehicles may be asked to help get medical personnel into an effected area or get food or supplies to isolated, vulnerable neighbours.
Members of Local Response Groups will never be directed to undertake any journey. That decision will always rest with the driver, who will rely on their experience and local knowledge. The groups will exist to assist their neighbours along with the statutory agencies such as the HSE, Roscommon County Council and An Garda Siochana.
There now exists a volunteer force of over 100 farmers, covering the entire county of Roscommon, who will work within agreed parameters to assists the emergency services get assistance to people in the county during adverse weather conditions.
In order to assist people during adverse weather conditions a comprehensive two page document entitled ‘Roscommon Emergency Planning – be winter ready,’ has been produced and was circulated widely in the community.
Roscommon County Council and this group of volunteers will work together in a co-ordinated manner in relation to the distribution of grit (should the need arise) for roads which the Council may not be able to deal with.
Roscommon People
Issued dated 4th January 2013.
Read more http://roscommonpeople.ie/itemdetail.asp?itemID=20557
