Word of thanks for staff who responded to storm damage in Mayo

STAFF who responded to do various repairs during Storms Isha and Jocelyn were thanked by councillors at a Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting.

They included council staff, emergency services and employees at service providers such as the ESB, who were described as having gone 'above what would be expected in the particular weather' by Councillor Brendan Mulroy.

Members noted how it had been one of the worst storms they had experienced but staff were out in the middle of it repairing electricity lines, removing trees, and then clearing up the mess.

Councillor Christy Hyland made the point that once a weather warning goes red, emergency staff are stood down, and rightly so. “No one wants to put anyone's life in danger.”

However, he felt some people don't realise that and he had received what he described as 'a few unreasonable requests'.

“No one would expect emergency staff to go out and place their lives in danger,” he commented.

“We have to have patience and baton down the hatches and put our lives on hold.”