Severe Weather

Read the HSE Severe Weather Checklist and Guidance Document (PDF, size 1.7 MB, 65 pages)

Severe weather by its very nature can happen suddenly and catastrophically without any warning. Experience shows that emergencies often happen when we are least expecting them and in ways that we did not anticipate. The effectiveness of a response is often a reflection of the thoroughness of its preparations.

It is important to be aware of internal and external risk factors and the consequences of any failure in systems, those of others or uncontrollable events such as severe weather. The detailed content of a severe weather plan will depend on the response to be delivered and the nature of the emergency. Plans need to be widely circulated to ensure that everyone who has a contribution to make to the planned response is familiar with it and their own role in the plan.

Emergency management arrangements should be integrated into departments’ everyday working and management structure. Severe Weather Plans should build on routine arrangements. To achieve this, divisions need to integrate their planning procedures for severe weather.

The Severe Weather Checklist and Guidance Document is not intended to be prescriptive but rather complementary to and should be read in conjunction with your Major Emergency Plan to assist in managing and co-ordinating in the event of severe weather. This provides a common approach for all divisions in the HSE.

Severe Weather response needs to be integrated and co-ordinated and may span over boundaries and may progressively encompass the need for support. This level of co-ordination rarely exists on a day-to-day basis within the HSE and ought to be a focus of planning and response. This includes the capacity to extend the level of response to different scales with additional resources and/or management mechanisms being activated.

HSE Emergency Management Offices Contact Details

HSE National Emergency Management Office

Contact: Assistant National Director for Emergency Management
Postal Address: HSE National Office for Emergency Management, Stewarts Care Limited, Stewarts Hospital, Mill Lane, Dublin 20, D20 XT80
Email: national.em@hse.ie
Phone: 01 7785122

HSE East Major Emergency Management Office

Contact: Chief Emergency Management Officer East Region
Postal Address: Major Emergency Management Office, Phoenix Hall, St. Mary's Hospital Campus, Phoenix Park, Dublin 20, D20 CK33
Email: emergency.planning@hse.ie
Phone: 01 6754100

HSE South Emergency Management Office

Contact: Chief Emergency Management Officer South Region
Postal Address: Emergency Management Office - HSE South, Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, Western Road, Cork, T12 WP62
Email: emo@hse.ie
Phone: 021 4921622

HSE West Emergency Management Office

Contact: Chief Emergency Management Office West Region
Postal Address: Regional Emergency Management Unit, Clinical and Administrative Building, Block A, Merlin Park Hospital, Old Dublin Road, Galway, H91N973
Email: emergency.managementwest@hse.ie
Phone: 091 775933