"It's been difficult" - Storm Jocelyn leaves animal sanctuary with no power
More than 1,000 NIE Networks customers in Northern Ireland are on day three without power.
More than 1,000 NIE Networks customers in Northern Ireland are on day three without power.
They've been cut off since Sunday when the first of two back-to-back Storms hit.
Storm Jocelyn is now over, along with the weather warning. However, some locations still have no power, and it’s not just people who are suffering.
Lynn Freil is the founder and manager of Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary. She appealed to her local community in Antrim on Facebook: “Is there anyone local to the sanctuary (Crosskennan Lane - Ballynoe Road) could put some of our heat pads in their microwave for us? Our electric is out and some of our older animals are struggling in the cold!!”
Members of the community rushed to help Lynn, rushing to the comments. However, if the power does not return by this evening, Lynn will be appealing once again for a helping hand.
Speaking exclusively to Cool FM/Downtown, Lynn said the power went out at 4:30pm yesterday, just as she was preparing heat pads for the animals’ beds, which made things ‘a lot more difficult’.
She added: “It’s really difficult when you’re trying to work with a torch. You’re trying to work with doors, open latches on crates, trying to get in and out all whilst trying to ensure no animals get past you, which is very difficult. I never mastered the head torch; I keep walking into things! Its only for short period of time hopefully. It’s the volunteers and staff who are suffering because we are doing our best to keep them comfortable.”
The animals have beds and lots of thick blankets to keep them warm, but the heat pads are needed to provide some extra heat.
Lynn said: “Accouple of the dogs maybe aren’t terribly well... they go to bed with heat pads and a couple of coats on them.”
People from the community came to the sanctuary and collected the heat pads, heated them in their homes, and returned them to Lynn and the animals. Lynn said: “It was lovely to give the heat pads to the animals.”
She went on to say: “We need to get a lot more lamps and torches charged up again, I went through six last night. It’s pitch black up here in the evenings, I’m up until 11pm checking on everyone. We have 40 horses, 11 dogs, 30 cats, and chickens. I go round checking every so often in the dark, which is difficult.”
She expressed her gratitude to the women who came and helped, and stressed if the power doesn’t come back this evening, she will appeal for help charging lanterns. “I could not manage here without lanterns. I know my way around well but there are trip hazards and all sorts and dogs running about... so I need to be able to keep an eye on them.”
Lynn is hoping the power will return by 5pm. Community Centres will open again from 4-8pm today, for those still affected by power cuts to use charging points, fill up flasks and access hot water.
You can here more on our news bulletins at the the top of the hour: https://planetradio.co.uk/cool-fm/player/