Deaf daughter 'very stressed' she can't charge implant batteries due to power outage

Tina Daniels, right, worries for her deaf daughter, who needs to charge the batteries for her cochlear implant every night with no electricity. She is joined at home by Vera Murray. Picture: Ray Ryan

A mother of two has expressed concern that her daughter is unable to charge vital medical equipment at their home due to power cuts resulting from Storm Éowyn.

Tina Daniels, who lives with her family in Loughrea, Galway, is yet to have her power restored. She was among those who spoke to the Irish Examiner amid widespread disruption in the wake of the major weather event.

“My daughter Saoirse is deaf, so she wears a cochlear implant. She needs to charge the batteries every night,  but that’s not possible at the moment,” she told the Irish Examiner. 

“She ended up having to take them to work with her because that was her only option. Her employers have been very good to her. They normally don’t open the office there on a Saturday, but it was opened up especially so she could charge the batteries.” 

The situation has been a huge source of worry for Saoirse.

Saoirse was very stressed at the thought of not being able to charge them

"Of course, we can sit in the local hotel — but it takes eight hours to charge. This is specialised equipment. 

"It’s a 24- to 48-hour battery, and she only has one. The other two are 10-hour batteries, but she prefers the 24-hour one to be on the safe side.” 

Michael Coen, from Connemara, said the impact of the storm has been like going back centuries in time.

“There is no phone, no internet and no power,” he said. 

“We are lucky because we have running water. My mother lives in a place that’s badly hit, and I can’t communicate with her often enough to know whether she is okay.

"Even when I’m in a spot with coverage she doesn’t have it so it’s hard to keep up that communication. 

"It’s coming in dribs and drabs. The only news we are getting is word of mouth. It’s like going back 100 years. It’s hard to know what’s going on.” 

Tina Daniels, at her home in Loughrea beside a battery operated latern, was told they won't have power restored till Wednesday of next week. Picture: Ray Ryan

The Galway man now has to pay to take a shower each day.

“Each morning, I am going to the local swimming pool and paying for a swim just to be able to use the shower facilities.” 

Risks to vulnerable people

Jackie Fitzgibbon, who runs Friendly Call Cork — an organisation helping older people in the community combat loneliness — said that power outages can pose significant risks to vulnerable people.

“We had one lady in the Mayfield area a few weeks who was without power and tried to make herself a cup of tea with a cooker used for camping.

The whole thing went up in flames because the canister wasn’t connected properly

"Her neighbours were able to help so the fire brigade didn’t need to be called, but she did burn her hands. 

"Power cuts are really difficult for anyone who is vulnerable and isolated. I don’t know if they could operate a priority list for reconnecting older people’s electricity. That may not be practical, but if it was that would be great.” 

The head of communications with the charity Alone, Frank Dillon, said the charity will be supporting older people impacted by the storm in the coming days.

“With some areas in Kerry and Cork still experiencing power outages, we are supporting the older people where we can by contacting them and providing support with our staff and volunteers through phone calls and visits where possible."

WEATHER CENTRE

Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.