Category 2 responders
Utilities:
Electricity distributors and transmitters
Gas Distributors
Water and sewerage undertakers
Telephone service providers (fixed and mobile)
Transport:
Network Rail
Train operating companies (passenger & freight)
Airport operators
Highways Agency
Voluntary Organisations
Incidents and Emergencies can overstretch the resources of the emergency services and local authorities and the value of additional support from the Voluntary Sector has been demonstrated on many occasions.
The Staffordshire Resilience Forum has built up excellent partnerships with many of the Voluntary Organisations who operate in Staffordshire. The group, collectively known as the Staffordshire Voluntary Organisations, meets six monthly.
Members of the Staffordshire Voluntary Organisations are:
British Red Cross (BRC)
The BRC have trained Emergency Response volunteers who are trained in roles such as team leader, medics, befriender, admin and logistics. The BRC also have support equipment such as front line ambulances and Major Incident Support Units.
For more information please visit: www.redcross.org.uk|.
CRUSE Bereavement
Cruse Bereavement Care exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. The support they provide is free.
For more information please visit: http://www.cruse.org.uk/|
Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation (PDMRO)
PDMRO provide an essential service not only to walkers and climbers but to Category 1 and 2 responders. PDMRO primarily assist in searches in upland or mountainous areas but can also assist with searches in lowland areas. The Search And Rescue Dog Association currently have 6 qualified dog handlers in the Peak District. These handlers are drawn from the individual teams but are often called upon to provide search dog support in any area of the Peak region, and indeed often outside.
For more information please visit: http://www.pdmro.org.uk/|
RAYNET - Radio Amateurs Emergency Network
Members of RAYNET can provide communications by radio using base stations in Local Authority buildings or the Staffordshire Civil Contingencies Unit's vehicles. In addition, radio operators have their own hand held radios and usually base units in their homes and vehicles.
For more information please visit: http://www.raynet-uk.net/|
Samaritans
Samaritans, in the course of more than 50 years of supporting people, has gained a wealth of experience in listening and communicating, skills which can be of benefit in many situations. Their purpose is to enable those who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those who may be at risk of suicide, to receive confidential emotional support at any time of the day or night from appropriately trained volunteers. Samaritans can be asked to provide assistance to the community or even responders during an incident.
For more information please visit: http://www.samaritans.org/|
Staffordshire Search & Rescue Team (SSART)
SSART's dedicated volunteers provide lowland missing person and 4 x 4 search and rescue services to Category 1 and 2 responders. SSART are members of the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR). SSART are often deployed to assist Staffordshire Police in Missing Person Searches.
For more information please visit: http://www.staffssearchandrescue.org|
St John Ambulance
St John Ambulance can supply a range of medical services through its county-wide organisation. All members are trained in first aid and membership includes paramedics, nurses and doctors. St John Ambulance are also the official reserve for the West Midlands Ambulance Service.
For more information please visit: http://www.sja.org.uk/.|
Victim Support
Victim Support provide assistance and help to those persons who have been affected by crime, whether they are the victim or a witness. The support they provide is free and confidential. Victim Support can be asked to assist the Staffordshire Resilience Forum during an incident which is crime related, eg, terrorism. Victim Support, Staffordshire, have produced a Major Incident Policy & Plan of which a copy is available via Staffs CCU.
For more information please visit: http://www.victimsupport.org.uk/|
WRVS
The WRVS have teams situated all over the county, ready to provide a rapid response in emergency situations. Duties range from providing refreshments for rescue workers to helping to run a rest centre for people who have been evacuated from their homes.
For more information please visit: http://www.wrvs.org.uk/|