Over the following two weeks, 90 Irish Red Cross volunteers undertook 551 ‘Welfare Checks’ across nine counties. We assessed the immediate needs within the household, including access to power, water, and medical needs and promptly alerted relevant service providers. We offered welfare packs (5L bottles of water, milk, newspapers, wet wipes and hand sanitiser) but the primary value was simple human connection and conversation.  

Overall, huge community resilience was demonstrated daily in the communities that the Red Cross volunteers met. We expected more anger and frustration, but found a lot of resilience, and “sure they’re a lot worse off than me” attitude. Frustrations included boredom during the dark evenings without light and TV; having to queue to charge mobile phones, stress in the home as a result of teens being without internet to study, connect with friends and to complete the online CAO application for college courses; parents trying to work and care for children and other family members without water or electricity or both, and concerns about the cost of repairs to homes.  

The volunteers always asked people when leaving a house: “Is there anyone vulnerable nearby?” The local knowledge signposted to power black spots and more neighbours to drop in on. The remote nature of many affected areas compounded the challenges, with volunteers often having to travel a distance down rural lanes to reach vulnerable individuals on impassable boreens where the electric cables were down.   

At the end of each day, volunteers connected to share what issues had presented and any surprises. These insights and reflections informed how the plan was formed for the following day. We knew we needed to target the homes of isolated people. In a crisis like the Storm response, vulnerability is a sliding scale. Many households do not have the financial back-up to absorb the shock of losing a week’s worth of grocery shopping when their fridge and freezer are powered down. Or have the means to purchase take-aways or go out for a hot meal with their family. As the days go by, people can slide further into vulnerability, and without social support they can be easily tipped into poverty. It cannot be assumed that vulnerable people have funds to cover the cost of even one night’s accommodation.   

16 days after the storm, (9 February) Irish Red Cross volunteers came across four households who were still without power. All were clearly vulnerable. Some had health issues, one was a diabetic, and others had mobility issues. All were entitled to stay in a hotel and the cost would be refunded via the government humanitarian scheme on presentation of receipts. All four households said they were very cold, having had no heating for more than two weeks, but they could not afford to pay upfront for a hotel. Often the most vulnerable people do not have the capacity to get to a hotel. Much handholding is required to support them.