Call for satellite phones for Leitrim first responders following Storm Éowyn
Cllr Felim Gurn urged satellite phones for first responders after Storm Éowyn's outages and called for a study by Manorhamilton MD on private forestry's impact on the ESB corridor.
During Storm Éowyn, phone signals went down for days in many parts of Leitrim, with some areas experiencing outages for weeks, making it nearly impossible to contact people and services.
The sudden outage of modern communication was difficult for many to cope with, prompting one councillor to highlight the need for satellite phone coverage for first responders and essential services in similar future events.
During a meeting of Manorhamilton municipal district, Cllr Felim Gurn noted that satellite phone coverage is “essential to allow responders to deal with power outages as soon as possible and to restore power to our homes and businesses quickly.”
“First responders, Uisce Éireann, ESB and emergency staff in the Council should be on satellite phones so that they’re covered,” Cllr Gurn said.
He also mentioned the importance of having enough generators to adequately power water treatment plants.
In a separate motion, Cllr Gurn called for Manorhamilton MD to conduct a study on the impact of private forestry, and the planning of coniferous and deciduous trees along the ESB corridor.
“We need to start looking at the problems with private forestry and the impact of forestry plantations by pension funds,” he said.
He pointed out that trees planted 30 or 40 years ago are now causing issues and noted that the ESB workers stated that a clearance of 60 feet on each side of the corridor is necessary for access in some areas.