Storm Heroes / Gaisgich na Stoirme
BBC ALBA – Tuesday 15 November 8.30 – 9.00pm
HERE in Scotland, we know about bad weather. 100 mph wind? Six foot snowdrifts? Hurricanes, floods, hail and horizontal rain? We’ve seen it all.
But what about the consequences of bad weather? When the power is down, the schools are closed, and the roads are blocked with snow? How do we cope? And how do those who are vulnerable – the elderly, and the disabled – manage when their support is compromised?
We rely on our winter heroes – the flashing orange light that says – don’t worry, help is on hand – we’re here to get your electricity back on, we’ll clear the road of snow so you can get to work, we’ll come and rescue you when the water is waist high in your living room – we’ll take on whatever the weather throws at us, and win through.
Who are these people? They are our Storm Heroes.
In a new BBC ALBA four-part series, Donnie Mackay joins a small army of people who leave their warm beds to battle the elements on our behalf. We see how they prepare ahead of bad weather, and how they manage to do their jobs when the storm arrives.
He meets those who supply essential services to their communities. People like Neil McCormick working for SSEN in Uist, delivering emergency power where it’s needed, and care worker Chrissie Macrae in Stornoway, who looks after the elderly in their own homes.
Donnie is on the high seas with CalMac, discovering how the crew cope in bad weather, and asks the skippers what criteria helps them decide whether their ferry sails, or stays.
Keeping the streets free from snow and ice is Comhairle nan Eilean Siar roads manager Roddy MacDonald, who gets up at 3am to make the roads safe before the morning rush.
And lorry driver Murdo John Mackay shares his experiences of driving through snow storms to get essential goods delivered.
In Perthshire, during the height of the floods, Donnie meets emergency teams at Tayside Contracts who are busy saving people’s homes from disaster; and in the Cairngorms, he helps farmer Robert Macdonald feed his flock in blizzard conditions.
While Donnie braves the elements, BBC ALBA weather presenter Sarah Cruickshank joins forces with meteorologists to track our winter storms as they approach. Sarah gives us insight into each weather front as it comes in, providing an explanation for our changing weather patterns.
Storm Heroes, produced by Eyeline Media for BBC ALBA, starts on the channel on Tuesday 15th November at 8.30 until 9.00pm.
ENDS
For further information please contact Lorna Gardner or Gary McQueen at Media House on 0141 220 6040 or email lorna@mediahouse.co.uk / gary@mediahouse.co.uk
About BBC ALBA
BBC ALBA is available on the following platforms:
- Sky 142 (UK)
- Freeview / You View 7 (Scotland only)
- Virgin Media 161 (UK)
- Freesat 109 (UK)
- BBC iPlayer
BBC ALBA is run by MG ALBA in partnership with the BBC. MG ALBA is the operating name of Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig, the Gaelic Media Service. Find out more about MG ALBA and the partnership at www.mgalba.com or visit www.bbcalba.co.uk for scheduling and programme information.
MEDIA RELEASE issued by Media House International. You too can share your stories (aka press or media releases), on allmediascotland.com. Email here for more information.
Check out twitter.com/newsdipper for your very own media releases feed…
Check out too twitter.com/allMediaNews.
Stay connected with our various twitter feeds: Charities, Drink, Education, Energy, Fashion, Film, Food, Gardens, Legal, Motors, Music, Outdoors, Property, Science and Sports. And not forgetting Finance, Theatre, Travel, Festivals, Visual Arts, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth and Stirling.
To catch up on all the media releases recently posted on to allmediascotland.com, you need only click the link icon that you see towards the bottom right of our two media release ‘gateway boxes’.
It’s this icon, here. It’s your route straight into the rich archive.
—
Media House International contact details…
Contact: Gary McQueen
Phone: 01412206040
Email: gary@mediahouse.co.uk
Website: http://www.mediahouseinternational.com
