A helping hand in your time of need (From Warrington Guardian)

A helping hand in your time of need

IT is a commonly asked question - what would you save if your home burnt down?

For most of us, luckily, this issue is only ever a hypothetical one, but what if it happened for real?

What if you lost all your possessions in a fire or flood? One of your biggest problems could well be finding somewhere to have a shower, getting some clothes, calling the bank and council or even feeding a young child.

But believe it or not, it is a team of volunteers from the British Red Cross that tends to those affected by a fire or flood.

The Cheshire branch of the Fire and Emergency Support Service is based at Birchwood fire station and operates an out-of-hours service in partnership with Cheshire Fire Service between 6pm and 8am during the week and 24 hours at the weekend and on bank holidays.

The volunteers go anywhere in Warrington and beyond to support the victims of a fire by providing practical advice and assistance. A specially adapted vehicle is driven to the scene to provide a quiet, dry, safe and warm shelter.

The volunteers provide everything you could need in the aftermath of a blaze, from comfort packs, toys for youngsters, transport to relatives' homes and a disposable camera to take photos of the damage.

They can be called out up to seven times a month on average, although volunteers carry out different shifts. Last week they were called to help at a severe blaze at a property in Padgate.

The support service co-ordinator is former firefighter John Rimmer, who used to be station commander at Birchwood.

He said: "We go out when the fire service receives a call to a house fire or flood which basically leaves the property uninhabitable. We go to many incidents in Warrington but we cover the whole of the area so we are also called to Crewe, Northwich and Winsford."

He added: "We are there to help in the aftermath of an incident - for a few hours, to give people emotional support, help with the practicalities and point them in the right direction. We often can take people to a relative's house, we once drove someone all the way to Leek!"

Their vehicle is filled with everything you could imagine: clothes, a phone, food, hot drinks, a shower, toilet, reading material and all those important numbers that you suddenly need to call, such as the insurance firm or electricity company.

And everything they offer is donated, many of it from businesses, although all the clothes which they give to people are new.

Mr Rimmer says a big part of the work is helping people cope: "It is a bit of a shock for people but their reactions are often similar, except when people turn it down at first as they think they have to pay - even though there is no charge at all."

There are plans to extend the service they offer to non-motorway road accidents and even large incidents where people are evacuated from their homes.

The group is always on the look out for new volunteers who, according to Mr Rimmer, keep the service going.

He added: "It is totally dependant on the good will of our volunteers and the fact they are willing to go out and help."

There are currently 15 volunteers on the team and the only stipulation to join is that you are over 18 and live within a half hour drive of Birchwood fire station.

To find out how you can get involved, call Mr Rimmer on 01565 650201.

hcartwright@guardiangrp.co.uk