British Red Cross launches Scarborough emergency response team
It's teaming up with Scarborough Fire Station
A new partnership in and around Scarborough will see more people helped during a crisis.
Scarborough Fire Station has teamed up with the British Red Cross Emergency Response Team.
It is to provide emotional and practical support to those affected by fires, floods and other disasters in their home.
This includes:
• Assistance finding emergency accommodation
• Clothing
• Blankets
• Toiletries
• Baby / pet items
• Cash assistance
• Transportation
• Documentation / signposting
• Refreshments / hot drinks
• Access to a phone
• Access to translation services
• Staffing for rest and humanitarian assistance centres
Graeme Casper, Fire Station Manager for Scarborough and District, said: "Firefighters and fire service personnel attend incidents all the time. We go to places when people are at their lowest ebb. We feel we can't just drive away so we were looking to see how we can help further, got in touch with the British Red Cross and it was one of the best things we could have done.
"Personally I've been involved in two incidents in the last five weeks, one in Scarborough and one in the York area where I've mobilised other teams from other areas to come and assist the homeowners. Just to add, we've donated some office space for the Scarborough team and we also provide parking so they can respond 24 hours a day."
Tom Belcher, British Red Cross Senior Emergency Response Officer for Yorkshire and the Humber, said:
"The aim is to deliver acute humanitarian relief during a crisis. If we take Scarborough as the example, crews will go out, there'll be a house fire that can look wildly different scenario to scenario and our team will attend, we've got the time and space to make sure they're OK. It's all about listening and having a conversation.
"I really don't think you can underestimate the power of a cup of tea and just a bit of quiet with a trained listening ear, it can go a long way. Alongside that there's a practical support element; so it could be clothing, hot drinks, cash support element and we've got a selection of resources that used correctly will hopefully reduce the suffering of the crisis they're in."