Every local authority in the country has a plan to coordinate the response to major emergencies. The plan sets out procedures for coordinating the activities of the responding agencies and sets out activation procedures and resources available.

The three principal agencies are defined as:

1. Local Authority (Including Fire Service and Civil Defence)

2. Garda Siochana (police)

3. Health Board- (Midland Health Board in Laois)

Additional agencies include the Defence Forces, Coastguard, Red Cross, Order of Malta, operators of heavy machinery etc.

Civil Defence is a local authority resource, where its roles include rescue, firefighting, logistics, communications, transport and welfare.

It can also assist the other agencies for example:

Garda Siochana - Assisting with scene security, searching etc.

Health Board - Casualty transport, setting up triage/treatment centres etc.

The nature of the emergency and the resources available determines the Civil Defence role(s) in any given situation.