Tag Archives: safety

GARDAÍ in Clare have issued a number of safety tips for this Christmas. In relation to Covid-19 gardaí advise that every contact counts. “If you must meet up this Christmas keep your contacts to a minimum, wear a mask if you can’t stay two metres apart and follow the HSE guidelines for your safety and others,” says Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks. However, the advice is not confined to Covid safety. “Drink alcohol responsibly and if you are going out plan your night, tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back. Don’t walk home alone but if you have to walk in well-lit areas,” she urges. People are being reminded to take care when carrying your handbag and phone, keep handbags zipped and don’t put a wallet in your back pocket. “Only take out as much money as you need at ATMs and cover your pin,” she says. Other advice includes not leaving shopping on view …

INMO members at University Hospital Limerick have commenced a ballot for industrial action this Wednesday over the refusal of hospital management to attend talks at the Workplace Relations Commission. The INMO represents over 1,000 nurses on site who are frustrated at the approach to date by management to resolving the persistent high nurse vacancy rates and other related issues. Among nurses’ concerns are the risks to patients, overcrowding in a Covid-19 environment and excessive workloads arising due to unfilled funded nursing posts in wards, emergency department and theatres. To date management have declined to provide the INMO with the vacancy rate. Mary Fogarty INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations said: “It is imperative that these vacancies are filled prior to the opening of 96 much needed additional beds on site. However many of the wards also have historical low staffing levels and need additional nurses to cope with the demands of the Covid-19 environment. “Nurses at UHL are exhausted after …

In advance of the May bank holiday weekend the Irish Coast Guard and RNLI are appealing to the public not to take part in any water-based activity on or in the sea, while the Covid-19 restrictions are in place. Both organisations are concerned that as the restrictions continue, people may become complacent and be tempted to take to the water or proceed to coastal areas for recreation. However, it is crucial to continue to minimise the risk to Search and Rescue, volunteer crews, helicopter crew and other front-line emergency services, from being unintentionally exposed to Covid-19. RNLI and Coast Guard Search and Rescue services continue to be fully operational and on call 24/7. As the current COVID-19 restrictions continue to apply it is appreciated that people will want to get out for a break and take to the water if they are living or exercising near the coast or inland waters. However, both organisations are urging everyone to follow Government …

  The Clare Champion office will remain closed on Monday in the wake of safety advice issued for Hurricane Ophelia. This decision was taken on Sunday night for safety reasons, following a more severe weather warning issued by Met Eireann. All editorial copy can still be forwarded to editor@clarechampion.ie while all advertising should be emailed to sales@clarechampion.ie The advertising deadline has been extended to facilitate the receipt of all advertising up to this Tuesday at 5pm. Management has urged people to follow all safety advice issued by Clare County Council, the HSE and emergency services.

    The Mid-West HSE Community Healthcare Department has decided to cancel all non essential community healthcare services scheduled for Monday due to Hurricane Ophelia. In a statement issued on Monday morning, the health authority confirmed all non emergency healthcare will not operate  on Monday and the majority of its local buildings are closed. All residential and emergency services will operate as normal and to the best of the authority’s capability in the expected storm force conditions.   Staff colleagues at the UL Hospitals’ Group have restricted all services to emergency with ED and Local Injury Units operating.  Ambulance services are as normal for emergency work. The group  has cancelled all outpatient appointments, day surgery and elective procedures in University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Nenagh Hospital, Ennis Hospital, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital and St John’s Hospital on Monday. Patients are advised not to travel to the hospitals unless absolutely necessary. All patients whose appointments have been cancelled will be contacted to …

The Coast Guard is requesting members of the public planning on engaging in any coastal activities over the Christmas period to first check that it is safe to do so and to be mindful of the risks and life threatening dangers that can arise without warning. Many people will be engaging in outdoor activities along the coastline, be it on exposed coasts, cliffs, piers, harbour walls, beaches, promenades or other coastal areas. The simple safety message from the Coast Guard is, “Stay back, stay high, stay dry. Storm Barbara, which will give rise to stormy conditions, is forecasted to blow through today (Friday) and there is a risk of some stormy weather returning on Christmas Day. A general improvement in weather conditions conducive to outdoor activities, is forecast from St Stephen’s Day. Spring tides that generate higher tides, peak in the latter part of the week and pose an additional risk. Christmas Day swims are a popular pursuit and the …

Clare County Council and members of the Clare Garda Division’s Traffic Corp will host a cycle awareness event in Abbey Street Car Park, Ennis, on Saturday, October 8. An articulated truck will be parked on site to highlight the existence of ‘Blind Spots’ around high-sided vehicles. The initiative forms part of Irish Road Safety Week 2016. In Ireland’s urban areas, between 2007 and 2015, 54 Vulnerable Road Users (cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists) were killed in collisions involving trucks. Collisions involving trucks accounted for 20% of urban VRU fatalities. According to Barry Keating, Road Safety Officer for Clare County Council, “Clare County Council is delighted to be joining An Garda Síochána in fully supporting any initiative that makes it safer for our most vulnerable road users.” “Due to their size and design, a truck has significant blind spots that present a danger to vulnerable road users. A driver’s field of vision, within a cab, is limited; the area immediately in front, …

Members of Killaloe Coast Guard Unit responded to two call outs on Saturday night – one to a man who suffered a suspected heart attack and the second to a cruiser which ran aground on Lough Derg. The man was airlifted to hospital after he suffered cardiac arrest on board a boat at Banagher. The Killaloe unit was alerted and responded as did the Shannon based search and rescue helicopter, Rescue 115. Ambulance paramedics and gardaí also went to the scene where the boat had moored at Banagher. The man was removed by the helicopter crew and flown to Galway University Hospital. While returning to their base at Killaloe, the unit was directed to a second emergency call. A 40-foot cruise boat with five people on board had run aground south of the Silly Island on Lough Derg. Conditions were bad with darkness setting in. Shore teams were also sent to the area by road and a stricken cruiser was …