Responding to emergencies
Helping people caught up in emergencies was at the heart of our work in 2005. As the year began, people across Asia were reeling from the effects of the tsunami. As it ended, millions were left homeless and clinging to survival after a devastating earthquake struck remote mountain communities in Pakistan and India.
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 |  | It was incredibly humbling to be part of the emergency response in Aceh and to see the whole Movement working as one,
Neil Brown, logistics expert. |  | | | | |
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In both cases, we responded immediately. Working through the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, we sent dozens of aid workers and flights with essentials such as tents and hygiene kits. In Pakistan, we worked against the clock to bring shelter and food to survivors before the harsh Himalayan winter set in.
When harvests failed in West Africa, leaving millions facing severe hunger, we sent food to those most in need. And away from the media spotlight, we continued to work in Darfur in Sudan, providing food, healthcare and water to people displaced by years of bloody, internal conflict.
Here in the UK, we supported thousands of people in Carlisle, following the worst floods in the city’s history. We also helped people affected by a freak tornado in Birmingham and the Buncefield fuel depot explosion.
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 | | | But our biggest response of the year followed the 7 July bombings in London. Red Cross volunteers and staff were on the scene within minutes, caring for the survivors and supporting the emergency services. | |
We also helped the Greater London Authority to launch an appeal for the victims.
In the months that followed, we helped run a telephone support line, and were instrumental in setting up the UK’s first assistance centre. | |
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