Fire and emergency response
Robert Tribble, a retired police inspector, and his family were made homeless by a fire which ripped through their 400-year-old thatched property in Devon just before Christmas 2001. After the fire, the family were almost entirely dependent on help from the Red Cross’ fire and emergency response service (FESS). FESS provided blankets, emergency food supplies and found temporary accommodation in a local hostel.
Keen to show their gratitude, Robert and his wife, Sue, began volunteering with the Exeter branch of the Red Cross. Mr Tribble said: “We got involved to say thank you for everything the charity did to help us when our home burnt down.” The couple have raised thousands of pounds for the Red Cross and even opened their newly rebuilt home to the public as a fundraiser.
Royal invitation
For their services to the Red Cross, the couple received invitations to a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace to mark the centenary of the Red Cross in the UK. Robert added: “What was a disaster at the time has been transformed into a proud moment for both of us.”
Fire and emergency support service
Fire and emergency support service volunteering
Fire prevention and safety
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