The British Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support (FES) team has unveiled a brand new specially adapted vehicle to help victims of fire and flood in North and North East Lincolnshire. It will be based at Cromwell Road Fire Station in Grimsby and will double the provision of the existing converted camper van based at Central Fire Station in Hull. The FES volunteers have been travelling to all corners of the Humberside service area to help hundreds of families since 1994.
The service has been so successful that HFR Solutions CIC has funded a second new vehicle which will be based on the south bank to improve response times to those families who may need food, a hot drink, clothing and toiletries or just emotional support. Volunteers can also provide help with securing temporary accommodation and contacting insurance companies.
The Community Interest Company (CIC) is controlled by Humberside Fire Authority and its profits are reinvested into the community through safety initiatives and the activities of the Fire Service.
Allen Cunningham, (pictured fourth from left), head of Community Safety Central Support at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service is delighted with the doubling of the FES provision:
“The vision is to provide a wider service for the community. We do a great deal of work in preventing fires but the work we do with the Red Cross enables people to recover from them. It’s really practical help. They’re available 24 hours a day so we know exactly who we can call on. To have this second vehicle available in Grimsby to complement the original camper van in Hull will be of real benefit to our communities.”
Dee Phillips, (third from right), the FES coordinator for the region, was equally excited by the new addition to the service:
“The British Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support team in Humberside has been looking forward to the launch of this new vehicle on the south bank of the Humber as we believe that it will enable us to reach the people we support after a fire or flood much sooner. The fact that Humberside Fire and Rescue Service has committed some of its financial resources to the provision of this great new vehicle is a great demonstration of the value it places on helping people across the area as they start to recover from the trauma of an emergency. We are delighted that our partnership continues to develop and that together, we can make a difference to local people in times of crisis.”
Dee added:
“We supported 83 people and several pets in 2014 and we look forward to developing our partnership with Humberside Fire and Rescue Service to support people in crisis in the area.”