Farmers have joined with other volunteers to help keep ambulances moving and HSE staff get to work.

The HSE’s National Crisis Management Team met on Friday evening and it said its local and national services are being affected by the severe weather.

“Our biggest challenge remains the provision of transport to our patients and staff given the difficulties on our road network. We are continuing to work with our partners including the Defence Forces and voluntary providers to help address the transport challenge,” a HSE spokesperson said.

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Acknowledge

“We would like to acknowledge the help received from the Defence Forces, all voluntary providers and indeed other groups and individuals such as the farming community who have helped our services over recent days.”

Tullamore farmer Brian Healion was just one of many farmers who swung into action to help at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore.

He used his tractor to tow ambulances into and out of the hospital throughout Friday, including emergency transfers of a patient to another acute hospital for further treatment.

The farmer-contractor helped out on the Tullamore to Kilbeggan road, where he said the drifts reached up to 6ft deep in parts.

“We’re going to Edenderry tomorrow to start to clear roads for the council. It’s too deep for the snow ploughs so we’re going with tractors and farm loading shovels,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Other farmers came to the rescue of a snow plough in Wilkinstown, Co Meath, when it got into trouble on Friday, digging it out.

Shot by Barry Cronin: https://www.barrycronin.com

HSE advice

The HSE has issued the following advice to the public:

  • Due to the deteriorating weather conditions, our National Ambulance Service is prioritising emergency calls. We are asking people to consider if they have an absolute emergency situation before calling for an ambulance. If you do need to call an ambulance, please know or have your Eircode to hand.
  • The HSE has cancelled all non-urgent surgeries planned for Saturday 3 March. There is no need for patients to contact their hospital. Hospitals will be in touch over the coming weeks to reschedule their appointments. Patients who are scheduled for urgent surgery over the weekend will be contacted by their hospital.
  • Where it is safe to do so, we are asking people to consider checking in on elderly or vulnerable members of the community, and to make sure they have supplies of food, fuel, water and medicines.
  • Our advice to older people is to stay indoors and to keep at least one room heated to 18°C. Wear multiple layers of clothes, have plenty of blankets and socks to keep you warm. Make sure you eat well and keep active and be mindful of risk of slips, trips and falls. If you have a personal alarm, make sure you wear it at all times.
  • The GP out of hours service is operational but will face challenges in going to see people in their own homes. We are asking people to bear this in mind if they need to call a GP to their home. There will be delays due to the severe weather conditions.
  • We are advising the public to access our communications channels to get the most up to date information – www.hse.ie/weatherwarning and @HSELive #weatherwarning on Twitter for all the latest regarding HSE services.

    • Further weather challenges over the next three to four days are expected, with cold temperatures remaining and possible further snow and frost in the early part of next week.

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