COUNCIL TO DISCUSS RELIEF FUND
Council to discuss relief fund
By Martin Anderson
OMAGH councillors will meet this morning to discuss setting up a relief fund for the victims of Saturday's bombing outrage.
The council will meet at 10am to discuss its response to the tragedy and a fund for relatives will be high on the agenda.
John McKinney, the council's chief executive, said it was difficult to start addressing the physical realities of the bombing but councillors would be looking to ensure the town is restored to its former glory.
He said: "We need to send a message to those who carried out this attack and those who are suffering as a result that we will carry on working together in this town.
"It will be for the council to decide but it is my understanding that they will be looking to setting up a fund to help victims' relatives."
An emergency action plan had been worked out in advance of Saturday's bomb but no-one could have imagined the circumstances in which it would come into operation.
Mr McKinney was informed about the explosion minutes after it happened and as the scale of the tragedy began to unfold the emergency plan swung into operation.
Staff at the town's leisure centre were called into work and worried relatives were advised to get in touch with a special hotline number.
Despite knowing some of those injured and killed, Mr McKinney stayed at the leisure centre throughout the night without sleep for more than 30 hours.
He said: "There were some harrowing scenes overnight as families waited by the lists to see if they could find details of their relatives.
"It was almost a relief when families saw a name on the list because it meant that even though their relatives were injured they were still alive."
Each family was assigned a police officer and counsellor to help them cope with the hours of waiting which for many turned to grieving.
Mr McKinney said: "I understand that the identification of some of the bodies was difficult because of the extent of their injuries."
"Our main priority was to make sure relatives were given any information we had and to make sure there were counsellors on hand to help them deal with their grief."
By Martin Anderson
OMAGH councillors will meet this morning to discuss setting up a relief fund for the victims of Saturday's bombing outrage.
The council will meet at 10am to discuss its response to the tragedy and a fund for relatives will be high on the agenda.
John McKinney, the council's chief executive, said it was difficult to start addressing the physical realities of the bombing but councillors would be looking to ensure the town is restored to its former glory.
He said: "We need to send a message to those who carried out this attack and those who are suffering as a result that we will carry on working together in this town.
"It will be for the council to decide but it is my understanding that they will be looking to setting up a fund to help victims' relatives."
An emergency action plan had been worked out in advance of Saturday's bomb but no-one could have imagined the circumstances in which it would come into operation.
Mr McKinney was informed about the explosion minutes after it happened and as the scale of the tragedy began to unfold the emergency plan swung into operation.
Staff at the town's leisure centre were called into work and worried relatives were advised to get in touch with a special hotline number.
Despite knowing some of those injured and killed, Mr McKinney stayed at the leisure centre throughout the night without sleep for more than 30 hours.
He said: "There were some harrowing scenes overnight as families waited by the lists to see if they could find details of their relatives.
"It was almost a relief when families saw a name on the list because it meant that even though their relatives were injured they were still alive."
Each family was assigned a police officer and counsellor to help them cope with the hours of waiting which for many turned to grieving.
Mr McKinney said: "I understand that the identification of some of the bodies was difficult because of the extent of their injuries."
"Our main priority was to make sure relatives were given any information we had and to make sure there were counsellors on hand to help them deal with their grief."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0042
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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