Weather crisis – Frontline heroes

WITH snow and ice gripping the country, the men and women on the frontline in the battle against the elements deserve the highest praise.

At times like this it is easy to be critical about the roads, traffic jams, public transport delays, airport closures, power cuts, communication glitches and a myriad other problems.

Spare a thought for helicopter pilots who risk their lives to save others; bus, train, taxi and ambulance drivers who go out in all weathers; council workers who grit and salt the roads; airport workers who keep runways free of ice; nurses, doctors and physiotherapists who tend the injured; electricity and phone engineers who carry out repairs in extreme conditions; armed forces personnel who deliver food and fodder to snowbound farms; gardaí who deal with emergencies and bitterly cold traffic duty; teachers who keep schools open; the list goes on.

In these harsh times, everyone can play a community role, helping those in need or keeping an eye on the elderly, especially those living alone in remote areas. With temperatures plummeting, a call on a neighbour could mean the difference between life and death.