kerry county council press & communications office communicating with the public in emergency...

Kerry County Council Press & Communications Office

Communicating with the Publicin emergency situations

Padraig Corkery,

Press & Communications Officer

Communicating in Emergency Situations


Role of the Communications Office

To keep the public, Council staff and other agencies informed about the work of Kerry County Council and the 3 Town Councils.

To promote the positive work of the Local Authorities

To alert the people of the county about issues that may affect them.


Who do we communicate with?

The Public Fellow council staff

Different Departments Different Areas Indoor/Outdoor

Other agencies HSE Gardaí Civil Defence


Methods of Communication

Local Radio Radio Kerry Raidio na Gaeltachta

Newspapers Local

Kerry’s Eye Kerryman Freesheets (Advertisers/Outlook)

National Websites

Kerry County Council (www.kerrycoco.ie) AA Roadwatch (www.aaroadwatch.ie )

Social Media Twitter Facebook


Radio KerryMain method of Communication with public

75% of all people in Kerry listen to Radio Kerry on a weekly basis This rises during periods of severe weather (snow & ice,

flooding) First bulletin: 8am & hourly until 5.30pm Main bulletins: 9am, 1pm, 5.30pm Updates from presenters between News Bulletins Can get information on radio from 7am-12

midnight


Communications During Big Freeze (Roads)

Positive working relationship with Radio Kerry makes this possible.

Information is accurate, timely & of significant county-wide interest (Travel, work, school etc)

Comms Office in contact roads crews between 6.30am-7.30am for status report

Report given to Radio Kerry for 8am news (first news bulletin)

Report posted on KCC website. Raidio na Gaeltachta also receive reports Updated as conditions change.


Communication during Big Freeze (Water)

Timeline: Roads issues changed to Water issues Freezing Pipes (No Water) Thaw (Burst Pipes/Water cut-offs)

Almost 90 Water Supplies Hourly communication with Water Area Engineers

in relation to locations of concern Engineers in constant contact with Caretakers

Now Road & Water updates Breakages/outages/advice/notification of planned

outages


Social Media/Websites

Twitter/Facebook Growing method of communication Short, brief messages, which are forwarded by

users. Many people receive updates in form of text

messages.Websites www.kerrycoco.ie www.aaroadwatch.ie www.radiokerry.ie


Social Media Twitter: 1,242 Followers Facebook: 408

Winter Period 200 Weather related tweets (Nov to end Jan) Simultaneous updates (Radio, F’book, Twitter) Tweetdeck (Laptop) Gravity (Mobile Phone)


Social Media Tweets/updates quickly spread around Mainstream media picking them up

AA Roadwatch RTE website/twitter feed

Large increase in followers over winter weather period

Minimal two-way communication. Limited time/resources to respond. Info from public:

How accurate? (Retweet and pass onto Radio?) Pass onto outdoor staff?


Working with the Community

Provision of grit dumps. Over 80 locations around the county Locations advertised through Media, websites,

with interactive maps Public invited to help themselves IFA were contacted in this regard Public used grit for:

Driveways/footpaths/yards Local roads which had not been gritted Neighbours yards


Grit Dumps Hugely positive/Great Response Giving Communities the tools to help themselves Reduced some pressure from Council Staff Locals helping locals

Local Knowledge. Where are the bad areas? Local machinery. Tractors/JCBs. No need for equipment

to have to travel in Needs of vulnerable people catered for (Medical etc) Business able to operate (Milk trucks).

Allowing communities to assist themselves without input from Council


Grit Locations


Communicating with Communities

Kerry County Council are not looking to insert themselves into the community

Strong feeling that existing structures should be utilised

Community Groups GAA Rural Social Scheme ICA IFA/Farming organisations



Not looking to change these structures. Thinking behind it…

Local groups know the geography better Know the people better, their skills, strengths &

weaknesses Working in the community and know what’s

happening. Already carrying out this work. Who is vulnerable, where they live, the challenges

that may face them, who can help them. Not necessary for Council/Agencies to get

involved.


Communicating with the Communities

However… PRAs & Agencies need to know who to

communicate with in each community. Group/Community leaders who hold the local

knowledge, and are in a position to provide assistance. Not necessary to know who does what, or how

they do it. Simply to know who to contact in a community, to get

the ball rolling.



Conversely...... Communities need to know who to contact within

the PRAs & Agencies Contact persons in their area Who the right person is to contact What to tell them If they recognise a gap in their area that could be filled

by an agency (training, provision of advice etc) Also to recognise when a situation escalates &

cannot be handled by local community ‘TWO WAY COMMUNICATION’


Structures

CommunityStructures

PRA & Agency Structures

Escalation to Crisis


List Community Skills & Strengths

Set out/present what skills/equipment are available within the local community

Find out/Assess who is capable of doing what Trade/Skill (Carpentry, 4x4 driving) Medical (Defib training, First Aid etc)

Keep them updated & available If someone comes in from outside, with no knowledge

of area or people, can they operate. Available if assistance sought by PRAs/Agencies


Community Database Updated lists of people, contact numbers etc

Vulnerable people Who lives near them and is available to check on them

Those with certain skills, qualifications First Aid Garda Clearance etc Specialist insurances etc

Those with equipment and training, insurance to operate

Plant & Machinery, 4x4 Chainsaw etc

Who holds these databases (Community Decision)


Ideal Scenario Local community work on a local level among

themselves to ensure vulnerable people are being looked after.

When the situation escalates: Local community know who to contact among the PRAs Provides local assistance/knowledge to improve the

response time.


Ideal Scenario Elderly person lives 1 mile from major route

(treated) up steep incline, bye-road. Community have assisted with access by PHN

Medical condition worsens. Ambulance Centre informed of difficulty with

access. Call made by HSE to local community to assist Local community bring patient down to junction

of major road using tractor/4x4.


Go Raibh Maith Agaibh

kerry county council press & communications office communicating with the public in emergency...

Documents

emergency situationsrole

emergency situationswho

work of kerry county

jansimultaneous updates

water issuesfreezing

water area engineers

communications officeto

outdoor staff