Storm Boelo: Meet the people on standby in NI as severe weather approaches

The people on standby when a storm strikes Image caption, Tree surgeon Callum Kirk said preparing for severe weather involves checking and sharpening equipment By Ben Lonsdale BBC News NI Published 24 October 2026 While most people are preparing to stay indoors as another storm approaches, others are getting ready to head straight into it. Storm Boelo is expected to bring strong winds and disruption to parts of Northern Ireland this weekend.

For those tasked with keeping people safe and dealing with the damage, severe weather can bring long hours, dangerous conditions and calls for help at any moment. In preparation for the storm, the Department for Infrastructure said their teams have been checking and clearing road gullies, monitoring river levels and tidal surges, and deploying a portion of temporary flood defences. "Regional Community Resilience Groups have also been advised of weather patterns and to make appropriate preparations," a spokesperson said.

From rescue volunteers to tradespeople, being on standby means preparing for situations they cannot always predict. With equipment checked and vehicles ready, they are prepared to respond whenever their help is needed. Image caption, The Belfast area commander for the Community Rescue Service said: "Don't underestimate the weather" The rescue service Darren Harper is the Belfast area commander for the Community Rescue Service, whose volunteers are preparing to respond to emergencies.

He said severe weather can bring heavy rainfall, rising water levels and flooding, with volunteers placed on standby to respond if needed. "Our main concern is the safety of the public," he said. Harper explained that preparations involve checking vehicles and equipment to ensure volunteers are ready for any call out. "Being on standby, our volunteers are ready to mobilise at a short notice," he said. "They're checking over vehicles, checking over equipment and they're ready to assist their partner agencies and emergency services as and when the call comes."

He said the risks associated with severe weather should not be underestimated, particularly around rivers and areas prone to flooding. "Take weather warnings seriously, avoid flooded roads and paths. Stay away from swollen rivers and never put yourself at risk by entering any flood water," he said. "Don't underestimate the weather - and stay away from riverbanks," he added. Harper said taking simple precautions could prevent people from getting into dangerous situations.

The roofer Image caption, Charles Howard advised homeowners to inspect their roofs before and after storms, particularly for loose or damaged tiles For roofer Charles Howard, storms can bring an overwhelming number of calls from people needing emergency repairs. "Normally years ago you would have loved the storms, because obviously you got the influx of work," he said. "But now because the storms are so regular, I kind of hate it." During a storm early last year, Howard said he received about 800 messages from people seeking help.

"It's hard to actually keep control of it," he said. He explained that preparing for particularly bad weather usually involves stocking his van with spare roof tiles and clearing his schedule to deal with emergency calls. "If it's going to be a bad, bad storm, you just pretty much go and load the van up with all the salvage tiles and stuff like that," he said. He said his work can begin even before the worst of a storm arrives, with strong winds already causing damage to roofs, advising homeowners to inspect their homes before and after storms, particularly for loose or damaged tiles.

He added that dislodged ridge tiles can fall onto driveways and gardens, potentially damaging vehicles. The tree surgeon Tree surgeon Callum Kirk, who works in the Newtownabbey area and covers much of Belfast, said storms bring a different kind of working day. Instead of scheduled jobs, he must be prepared to respond to fallen trees and potentially dangerous situations. "Whenever there's a storm, we have to be on standby for any trees that could come down over someone's driveway or their property," he said.

He said preparing for severe weather involves checking and sharpening equipment, even when there is no guarantee of being called out. "You haven't got planned work, you don't know, it's sort of a surprise, you're just more or less going to help people," he said. Kirk explained that much of his work comes after the worst of the weather has passed, when fallen trees need to be removed from roofs, garages and other properties. He said that work can be particularly hazardous.

"If you see a tree that looks like it's going to fall, get in contact with someone before it's too late." He encouraged homeowners to keep an eye on potentially unstable trees throughout the year, particularly as the storm season approaches. Related topics Northern Ireland Severe weather Met Office More on this story Weather warnings in place ahead of Storm Boelo Published 15 hours ago Irish weather warning ahead of Storm Austen Published 3 days ago Amber warning issued as Storm Austen threatens UK with strong winds and heavy rain Published 3 days ago