WHEN A crisis threatens, it is extremely important that members of the public are satisfied the Government has contingency plans in place and that its agencies are prepared to deal with specific emergencies. In getting that message across, preliminary advice can go a long way towards soothing genuine fears and preventing a panic reaction.
Because of that, basic recommendations on how to respond to nuclear, chemical, health, fire and extreme weather threats will be circulated to all households in the State later this month.
As might be expected, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea have played down the prospect of a major emergency arising in the immediate future. No useful purpose can be served by causing unnecessary worry in this regard. But by publishing and circulating emergency planning literature the Government has acknowledged the public's desire for reassurance and confirmed that serious risks to public health do, in fact, exist and are being taken seriously.
Traditionally, we have been bad at planning. But a great deal of work has been done in recent years in modernising an outdated response system. Final arrangements for a major emergency programme will be put in place later this year that will establish structures at local, regional and national level. The booklet offers reassurance and precautionary advice to the public in advance of more detailed instructions from relevant agencies should a crisis occur.
Nuclear or biological threats to public health, linked to terrorism or a safety breach, probably represent the most worrying scenarios for the general public. But they may pose less of a risk than extreme weather events arising from global warming or a flu pandemic caused by the mutation of an avian virus. Rising sea levels and severe winter flooding could cause deaths and a displacement of populations, but such events are unlikely to have immediate or catastrophic effects. In contrast, the risk of a flu pandemic is serious and experts believe an outbreak is inevitable. Between one-quarter and one-half of the population could become ill and the Government has already spent more than €50 million on anti-viral drugs and other measures designed to reduce its impact. In the event of an outbreak, the public is advised to stock up on food for at least a week; stay indoors and secure a supply of paracetamol or ibuprofen. Basic preparations by the public can save lives and limit the spread of infection while the health services and other relevant agencies prepare to implement the national emergency plan.