The campaign was jointly launched by the Minister for Defence as Chair of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, Mr. Simon Coveney T.D. and Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport and Logistics, Ms. Hildegarde Naughton T.D. Also present was Ms. Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann.

The ‘Be Winter-Ready’ campaign, which is in it’s tenth year, is intended to raise awareness about the particular challenges that winter can present and provides coordinated and cross-cutting approach to public safety messaging and the dissemination of information on winter preparations.

The campaign information is contained on a dedicated website winterready.ie which has been updated this year.

The advice has been categorised under various headings including: the Home, Road Safety, Schools, the Farming Community and the Business Sector. A synopsis of the information available has been compiled into an updated “Be Winter Ready” booklet published on this website.

Advice is being made available from a wide number of sources including Government Departments and Agencies, An Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive, the Office of Public Works, Local Authorities and the transport providers.

The main objectives of the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ information campaign are:

  • To provide practical advice on how best to prepare for the coming winter.
  • To ensure the public are aware of where advice and help can be found, if needed, and
  • To reassure the public that preparations are being made and arrangements have been put in place to ensure that there will be a coordinated response to severe weather events.

The Office of Emergency Planning will be regularly tweeting during the winter period to augment the ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign in tandem with other media campaigns in the national press and over radio. The twitter account can be followed on @emergencyIE and the public are being encouraged to join in the conversation using the hashtag #bewinterready.