A 'Major Emergency' is any event that, usually with little or no warning, causes or threatens death or injury, serious disruption of essential services or damage to property, the environment or infrastructure beyond the normal capabilities of the principal emergency services and requires the activation of specific additional procedures and the mobilisation of additional resources to ensure an effective and coordinated response.

Wicklow County Council has prepared a Major Emergency Plan in accordance with the “Framework for Major Emergency Management”, published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The purpose of this plan is to put in place arrangements that will enable the three principal response agencies (An Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive and Wicklow County Council) to coordinate their efforts whenever a major emergency occurs.