The British Red Cross and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) are working together to provide support to people affected by emergencies and crises across Mid and West Wales.
For over 150 years, the British Red Cross has been helping millions of people in the UK and around the world get the support they need when crisis strikes, while MAWWFRS is the UK’s third-largest Fire and Rescue Service and protects a population of over 930,000 people. During 2023-2024, MAWWFRS attended over 2,500 incidents involving fire.
Through this innovative partnership, British Red Cross volunteers will deploy at the request of the Fire and Rescue Service to call-outs across Mid and West Wales, providing emotional and practical support to people affected by emergencies.
The highly trained Emergency Response team is made up of volunteers from the British Red Cross who give their time freely, responding to incidents 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day. They are able to attend different kinds of emergency incidents to support people in crisis, such as domestic fires, floods or major incidents. The vehicle they use has been specially adapted for emergencies, stocked with practical items people may need such as clothes, blankets and hygiene packs.
Speaking on the pilot, Craig Flannery, MAWWFRS’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer, said:
“We’re proud to be working with the British Red Cross to further support the members of the communities we serve. This partnership will allow us to ensure that individuals affected by incidents have the resources and support they need to recover and rebuild.
Many of the incidents we respond to can often have major and long-lasting effects of the lives of those involved. With both organisations working side-by-side at incidents, the practical and emotional support being provided will be invaluable.”
Henry Barnes, British Red Cross Emergency Response Manager for Wales said:
“The British Red Cross stands ready to help the people of Mid and West Wales. We look forward to working alongside the Fire and Rescue Services to expand our support during emergencies, ensuring that support for people’s practical and emotional needs is available whenever and wherever emergencies strike.”
Pictured from left to right: MAWWFRS Head of Operational Response Ashley Hopkins, British Red Cross Emergency Response Operations Manager for Wales Laurie Wynne, British Red Cross UK Community Resilience Lead Henry Barnes, MAWWFRS Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas and MAWWFRS Corporate Head of Training and Development Geraint Thomas.