Every house in the country except mine
Every now and then I sail on the ferry to France.
Each time, it crosses my mind that a ship can sink, and what would I so in such an event?
Now I know what to do. I can ring Barry O’Loughlan in Athlone, because he will have instructions and will be able to advise me.
You see, the government, in its wisdom is to produce a booklet on how to deal with large scale emergencies, and every house in the country is to get one. It will tell us what to do with nuclear incidents, chemical spills, major fires and accidents at sea.
So if Barry O’Loughlan is down in the pub, I can phone Mary Murphy in Glenties, or for that matter, anyone in Ireland, and they will tell me what to do on my sinking ferry.
The next time Sellafield blows its top and irradiates Louth, I can phone them and tell them what to do. They will be inundated with calls from every household in the country, because we will all be experts.
Actually, I know what do do in the event of a nuclear incident. I take iodine tablets, because everyone in the country has been sent them too.
Except me. I never got mine. I feel vulnerable.
And every house in the country got a new book on the rules of the road. I never got that either.
I hope Barry O’Loughlan and Mary Murphy get their copies, or I’m sunk.
Has anyone seen my iodine tablets?
just bring your water wings.
A phone call to the Guy in the previous post would be of more help.
So if I accidentally sneeze that line of cocaine straight off the table onto the floor, does chemical spills cover it?
Grandad,
You would have had to phone Athlone anyway, it was the wrong sort of iodine.
(I can never figure out the fascination with Sellafield, I asked someone and was told that it was the closest nuclear installation. “What about Wylfa?” I asked. They looked at me blankly).
It is good to know that we will be prepared, unlike the town of Bray which could only muster one engine and four firemen when a warehouse caught fire last year.
People also tend to be convinced that Sellafield is a ‘nuclear reactor’; in fact, the last reactor there was shut down some time ago.
The iodine tablets were a bit of an oddity, anyway; they would normally be used to prepare for a nuclear ATTACK, not whatever incident people think might conceivably occur at Sellafield.
We don’t have any iodine either, actually. Would gin do?
I wish governments would spend the money on this junk mail on the prevention of accidents and the resources to deal with them. We get them as well and anti terrorist propaganda ‘be alert not afraid’ Sheesh . . .in the case of a nuclear strike won’t ‘duck and cover’ be enough? . . . .bugga!
Grannymar – Did you get that out of the book?
June – I think that is the most sensible advice yet!
Nick – No. Toxic waste dump.
Ian – The only reason I mentioned Sellafield is that the damned place keeps leaking liquids and gas. How many fires have they had there??
And Bray was an appalling example of this country’s ability to cope with even a small emergency.
Robert – I know it’s not a reactor – it’s a reprocessing plant. But they have more nuclear crap lying around there than anywhere else in England [and possibly Europe?].
Gin will be fine, but I prefer whickey, if you have any?
Baino – They are now wasting vast sums on an advertising campaign telling us that we must look after the environment!!!!
I live within ten miles of the famous Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. For those of you under 30 go google March 29th 1979. Anyways the Irish gub’mint didn’t send me any iodine! I’m gonna’ call ol’ Bert about that oversite.
Brianf – No point in calling Bertie. Try Biffo instead.
Grandad,
Why doesn’t someone ask what they would do in the event of a fire in Bray? This could be as cringeworthy as Joe Jacob and the iodine.
(Three Mile Island prompted me to go and see the lovely Jane Fonda in The China Syndrome)