Every year, hundreds of families and individuals suffer damage to their homes following a fire, flood or similar incident.
Our fire and emergency support service (FESS) volunteers, equipped with a specially adapted vehicle, respond around the clock to provide help when things go badly wrong.
Besides offering immediate safe shelter – along with clothing, food and shower facilities – the Red Cross also helps with practical necessities such as securing temporary accommodation and contacting insurance companies. Crucially, our volunteers are trained to provide emotional support, which can make a huge difference at such a distressing time. We work closely with local fire services across the UK and will arrive at the scene of the incident within 90 minutes of call-out.
If you would like further information, please contact your local Red Cross office.
Video: how we help the emergency services
Whatever the time – day or night – our FESS volunteers are ready to help people in crisis. Find out more about the vital role we play in supporting the statutory services at emergency incidents.