Summary
- On Thursday 7 July, London was hit by a series of bomb attacks. Fifty-two people died and more than 700 were injured.
- The British Red Cross responded within minutes, sending ambulances and dozens of trained volunteers to the scenes of the explosions, who provided first aid and comfort to those affected.
- On Friday 8 July, the Mayor of London set up the London Bombings Charitable Relief Fund, in association with the Red Cross.
- Red Cross staff and volunteers are helping to staff a family assistance centre and a telephone support line, set up for survivors and the bereaved.
Background
On Thursday 7 July, at the height of the morning rush hour, four bombs were detonated in central London. Three exploded on the London Underground network at King’s Cross, Aldgate and Edgware Road. A fourth bomb exploded shortly afterwards on a bus travelling through Tavistock Place.
Fifty-seven people died in the blasts, including the four bombers. More than 700 people were injured, with some 300 requiring hospital treatment. The Red Cross, as part of its role as an auxiliary to the emergency services, acted on a number of fronts, deploying hundreds of volunteers, minutes after the attacks.
The British Red Cross’ immediate response
Within minutes of the explosions, ten Red Cross ambulances attended the sites of the blasts, following a request for support from the London Ambulance Service. Based at King’s Cross, Edgware Road, Russell Square and Liverpool Street, 80 trained volunteers provided first aid and comfort to hundreds of injured and distressed commuters.
A further 15 ambulances went on standby and were deployed throughout the day. In total, 25 Red Cross ambulances were involved in the operation and 60 more were on standby across the South Eastern Territory.
When there was no longer a need to maintain a presence at the incident sites, the ambulances supported the London Ambulance Service as they carried out their normal duties, responding to emergency calls.
More than 100 Red Cross volunteers were also present at 46 stations around London and the South East, providing medical care and comfort to commuters as they made their way home.
The British Red Cross’ ongoing role
On Friday 8 July, the Mayor of London established the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund, in association with the Red Cross, to raise money for the victims and their families.
More than £8.6 million has been raised to date and the fund has begun to make initial payments to the victims of the bombings and their families. The money raised may be used to relieve sickness and disability, physical or mental, caused by the attack or to relieve financial needs.
Police family liaison officers will give grant application forms to bereaved families they are supporting. Those who were admitted into hospital overnight as a result of their injuries can obtain more information by visiting the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund or by calling the support line on 0845 054 7444.
The British Red Cross is administering the application process on behalf of the Fund. The final decision about all applications for payment rests with the Trustees of the Fund.
An assistance centre is available in central London for anyone affected by the bombings. The centre provides practical and emotional help on an appointment basis – appointments can be booked via the support line 0845 054 7444. The centre’s opening hours are 10am to 8pm, seven days a week. So far, the centre has helped over 600 people.
The 7th July Assistance Centre is currently managed by Westminster Council, supported by the Metropolitan Police with the British Red Cross assuming the role of lead voluntary agency.
Red Cross staff and volunteers, together with other agencies, are providing practical support and comfort to distressed relatives and survivors. All the Red Cross volunteers are trained befrienders and have experience in providing support to those facing a crisis or emergency situation.
On Tuesday 12 July, a telephone support line was set up at the Red Cross’ UK Office, later relocating to the Victoria area. The 7th July Assistance Support Line is being staffed by Red Cross volunteers and staff, working in partnership with other agencies.
The support line can be contacted on 0845 054 7444 or 00 44 (0) 20 7877 7492 if the person is calling from overseas. The service is open from 10am to 8pm daily.
Around 30 Red Cross volunteers provided first aid and emotional support to people who came to lay flowers at the scenes of the explosions. More volunteers provided first aid cover at the vigil in Trafalgar Square on Thursday 14 July, to remember the victims of the attacks.
The Red Cross has also produced a schools education kit so teachers can help students think through some of the issues raised by the attacks. Over 15,000 schools were emailed about the pack, which is available to download at www.redcross.org.uk/education
The British Red Cross’ role in responding to major incidents
The Red Cross has a pre-planned role to assist the emergency services in the event of a major incident. The new Civil Contingencies Act requires the statutory services to work with voluntary organisations, including the Red Cross, when preparing and responding to major incidents.
In London, the Red Cross has 115 staff and approximately 2,000 trained volunteers of whom about 800 can be called on to respond within hours or days, depending on the nature of the emergency.
In recent years, the Red Cross has responded to the Paddington, Berkshire and Potters Bar rail crashes, providing first aid and ambulance services; setting up rest centres for survivors, evacuees and relatives; providing emergency clothing and transport; and offering emotional support to survivors and the bereaved.
Last updated 31 August 2005
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