IN PICTURES: My Severe Weather Ready Guide launch in Laois

The ‘My Severe Weather Ready Guide’ was officially launched in Portlaoise on Friday, November 21. 

The multiagency initiative, which aims to help older people prepare ahead of severe weather events, began through consultation with Meals on Wheels drivers and the HSE. It now has the support of emergency services and a wide range of agencies who provide support to the elderly. For more images click NEXT. Read more below.

Severe weather has the ability to disrupt daily lives in all sorts of ways such as loss of power as well as to damage property. Being prepared reduces the risk of harm to people and property. It is important to be prepared as severe weather can happen quickly.

My Severe Weather Ready Guide provides helpful tips for older people on preparing for severe weather, as well as a checklist of items to make a weather ready pack. The guide also provides information on weather warnings. It is essential that older people are familiar with, and understand, weather warnings issued by Met Eireann.

The My Severe Weather Ready Guide was officially launched at the Laois Partnership office at New Road in Portlaoise.

The project is an interagency initiative comprising of the Health Service Executive (HSE), Age Friendly, An Garda Siochana, Offaly Local Development Company (OLDC), Laois Partnership, Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB), ALONE, Civil Defence, Adult Literacy for Life, and the Laois and Offaly Regional Coalition partners.

The project stemmed from HSE consultation with the drivers of Meals on Wheels in Offaly Local Development Company Ltd.

Copies of My Severe Weather Guide will be available throughout Laois and Offaly. For further information on copies of the guide please contact Offaly Local Development Company or Laois Partnership or email tlatham@loetb.ie, ICPOP.LaoisOffaly@hse.ie