Minister McEntee launches campaign to help households prepare for emergencies

The Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee TD, today launched the national Be Emergency Ready campaign, encouraging households across Ireland to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies and periods of disruption.

Speaking at the newly refurbished Meath Civil Defence facility in Navan, Minister McEntee said that preparedness is about empowering people with practical information and helping communities become more resilient.

As part of the campaign, every household in Ireland will receive a dedicated emergency preparedness booklet by post from the end of September. This campaign builds on a growing focus across Europe on helping households prepare for emergencies.

Be Emergency Ready will also be supported by the local government sector.

Speaking at the launch, Minister McEntee said:

“Across Ireland, we have experienced storms, flooding, power outages and other emergencies that remind us of the importance of being prepared. The Be Emergency Ready campaign is about helping people and families take simple actions now so that we are better prepared should disruption occur.

“I encourage everyone to take the time to read the booklet when it arrives, work through the checklist, complete the important information section and keep it somewhere easy to find. A small amount of preparation today can make a significant difference tomorrow.”

Welcoming the publication of the preparedness booklet, Kieran Kehoe, Chair of the County and City Management Association’s Corporate and Emergency Planning Committee and Chief Executive of Meath County Council, said:

“Local authority staff are often the first on the ground during an emergency, and we see at first hand the impact such situations can have on people. This booklet contains common-sense information that will help people to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

“We are happy to support the campaign and will also make the booklet available in local authority buildings, libraries, and through the Public Participation Network.”

Kieran Kehoe, Chief Executive of Meath County Council

Be Emergency Ready provides practical and accessible information that can help people prepare for and be more resilient against emergencies and disruptions.

The Minister concluded by encouraging householders to review the checklist contained in the booklet, fill in the important information section, keep the document in an easily accessible location within the home and review it regularly.

The Be Emergency Ready booklet is available now at www.gov.ie/BeEmergencyReady. The website also includes downloadable and printable resources from the booklet, including the preparedness checklist and key emergency information pages.