08/01/2025
The beginning of 2025 has seen severe weather conditions here in Cork. As a voluntary organisation, our two Cork divisions have been assisting where we can.
The HSE, An Garda Síochana and NEOC have requested several transportations of both hospital staff and patients. To help with this, the resilience desk was activated. This desk is also monitored by volunteers and once the transport details are given to the desk, the coordinator will then deploy the correct resource to each request. The desk stays open until the last transport is complete and everyone is safely home again.
While road conditions in some areas are very poor, the members do their utmost to help the communities throughout Cork city and county. Hospital staff were delighted to see a jeep coming to their aid as their cars would not have been in a position to travel on the sometimes treacherous roads. Patients on the other hand had appointments or admissions to hospital and also were unable to travel their usual way. These journeys were undertaken at a much slower pace and all tasks have been completed so far.
For the members of St John Ambulance, This was no easy task as roads were either covered with sheets of ice or high blankets of snow and some finished very late into the night. This proved very difficult at times but with determination, perseverance and very careful driving and coordination from the second crew member for correct navigation, all tasks that were undertaken were done so openheartedly.
It gives sheer pleasure and joy to all the members of this great organisation to be able to assist such groups as the HSE, An Garda Síochana and NEOC and to help everywhere within the community.
Thank you to our volunteers for always giving their time so generously. 🖤
