The emergency services may not be able cope with a Madrid-scale attack in
Britain without the back-up of volunteers, the head of the British Red
Cross
warned today. Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the charity, believes
the Red Cross is able to give vital sup****t to the work of front line
emergency services.
But he says a new bill currently due for its third reading in parliament
has
not made it compulsory for local authorities to consult with voluntary
agencies. He said when an emergency happens, it is "too late" to start
planning and called for compulsory consultation to be included either in
the
bill itself or guidance regulations.
In Spain, the Red Cross is formally included in planning and around 600
volunteers provided sup****t in the aftermath of the March 11 bombings.
When asked if the emergency services could cope without the Red Cross in
the
event of a Madrid-style disaster, Sir Nicholas said:
"I think no. I think on the scale of Madrid they would have to ask for
additional sup****t in terms of additional ambulances, in terms of
additional
sup****t for families and survivors, in terms of setting up centres and
quite
possibly in terms of carrying on every day business while they deal with
every day responsibilities - people still have hospital appointments -
which
require ambulances which we have, and which are used almost daily in
London
in sup****t of statutory services because the demand is so great."
The British Red Cross - together with other voluntary organisations - held
a
briefing at the House of Commons tonight to lobby MPs and members of the
House of Lords to back their call for compulsory consultation.
Full story:
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2693342
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