Flatcapdriver

At the risk of sending this off on to a seppo-like self congratulatory thread I have to take my hat off to the way they responded. A few things that have struck me:

One of the first Fire crews to arrive only sent in a few firemen in case there were further bombs thus minimising the risk of further casualties which I thought was bloody sensible and ballsy for the blokes who had to go in first.

The builders on the site next to one of the hospitals immediately queuing up to give blood - nice one.

Ken Livingstone's ad hoc speech was also on the ball.

The Police also seem to have done a great job considering they were pretty stretched with the G8 summit.

Hopefully, we've seen the end of the bombings (I know, a big wish) but it would be good to see a few more people giving all involved a big thanks and obviously our thoughts are with the casualties and the bereaved.

rr_ww

I agree with you.

Just people getting on as best they can under the circumstances .

angrynorth

I think today answers the most pertinent question from yesterdays Olympic doubters.

Yes, yes it can.

Well done to all those who had to deal with a terrible situation today, I give you my utmost respect!

moses

i agree well done, most of all our ambulances, doctors and firemen, their the true hero's

Jap2Scrap

I feel so much for the driver of the Fire Engine that hit the pedestrian and killed them That poor guy is gonna live with that for the rest of his days.

Flatcapdriver

The sad thing about this day is that the Emergency services will now be even better prepared. Still, if any of them are reading this many thanks for a job well done,

moses

bloody hell didnt hear about that

rr_ww

(If thats true) Not being funny but didnt said pedestrian see or hear the fire engine? Watched on Sky News a bloke leg it in front of an ambulance

StickyMicky

pedestrians are ****en stupid IMO

driving down a high street today they just cross the road everywhere except the zebra crossing

Tiggs

i expect thats what that blokes family are saying right now..."ohh, bobs been hit by a fire engine and had his head caved in on a lamp post....well hes ****ing stupid"

nice atitude

rr_ww

Maybe "Bob" could have used his brain before stepping off the pavement! Green cross code isnt rocket science!

spireite

Scoob99

iTrader: (1)

I too take my hat off to the emergency services, and if any of you are on here that were involved today, bloody well done, mind you did anyone see that ambulance and fire engine nearly come to grief at that road junction Well done lads and Lasses we are proud of you
Cheers
Colin

pslewis

They did a professional job ....................

They did what they were trained for ........................

They did what they were told to do ..........................

I thank them for that ....

Please lets not cheapen the word 'HERO' - they are NOT heroes!!

The man/woman who goes back to help another human being out of a bombed shell is a hero, someone who does something that they don't have to do, to help someone they don't know.

Pete

Barmyclown

My hats off to the emergancy services and everyone involved, they have done an amazing job today.

The same cannot be said of the producers in charge of the news, I'm sure we didn`t need to see the guy being given chest compressions, when they took him out of the ambulance. I really feel for that poor mans family, that shouldn`t be the first they knew that he had become casuality. It was obvious what was going on while they were getting him out of the ambulance. The coverage should of been cut before the trolley was turned side on and his face and shattered body became visible. And as for showing the blood on the walls where the bus was blown up do not get me started on that one. Have these people got no respect.

Jase

KiwiGTI

Completely disagree, I don't think there should be news censorship (ok, maybe the face), the public deserves to know what these b******* are doing because as a society we've gone too soft.

astraboy

What, just because they are paid to do it means they are less courageous?
Dont think so.
Anyone can choke when doing dangerous stuff, whether they are paid to do it or not.
Professional or non professional, these guys proved their worth ten times over today and I take my hat off to them.
astraboy.

JohnRoly

I work directly opposite the entrance to Aldgate Tube Station, over looking the bus station and the emergency services have my utmost respect. It was a horrific scene, but they arrived in huge numbers incredibly quickly and performed magnificently. Buses were comendered and used as ambulances and mobile hospitals and this just proves that the procedures in place work. The vast majority of people in London have been expecting an act of terrorism to happen at some point, but i just wanted to express my condolences to everybody that has been personally affected, and my admiration for the people who live and work in London for their attitude and resiliance on this dark day. My hat goes of to the emergency services today, the country owes you a debt of gratitude.

PG

The emergency services are now better geared up for this sort of thing.
Post 9/11 there was a whole load of gear (New Dimensions) supplied to all the different agencies. We (Firefighters) have taken on a whole lot more since then eg. today I was part of a Urban Search and Rescue response team for the G8 (the number of "intelligence reports" we got today was Damn near every hour we were on high alert). This has given us much more dedicated equipment for dealing with structure collapse, bombsite rescues and the likes. As opposed to before when it came to "man, this is **** ! what will we do?? ...I know get the fire service )
The area I am in is a quieter one however I am lead to believe that London Fire Brigade deal with something itro 40 chemical incidents per week
We now have better equipment (still not the best right enough) and better training for the likes of these incidents. I am pretty sure a lot of the guys there were glad to get the job just to challenge themselves to use the new skills. Still not good to see though.
That's right Pete the greedy, lazy ***** were just out there earning more money than they are worth

dexter

Pete, I don`t agree with this comment.

Yeah, I agree, that the emergency services get paid for what they do, but they don`t HAVE to do it. They can just go and get a "safer" job, should they choose, but if they all did that, then we`d be right up ****-creek !

Bit like the army really, I suppose they aren`t heroes for getting killed and maimed in Iraq either ?

Same sort of principle IMO.

King RA

Main Entry: he·ro
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O, 'hE-(")rO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek hErOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement


D. will certainly apply to many today, but I see where pete is coming from, an ambulance driver attending to the wounded did not show 'great courage', a firefighter going into a flaming underground station not knowing if there is more bombs did. There were probaby many heros today, but to say ALL emergency services were heros is not true and does cheapen the word.

..but then I suppose c could apply to the ambulance person.

Put it this way, if they all are heros then what do you call the guy coming out of a burning building carrying a child, after going back to save them??? Are they a hero just like eveybody else??

Neil Smalley

Can we not start arguing about who and who is not a hero, Pete if you really are in your 70's then cast your mind back to WW2 and tell me the firefighters in the East End, Birmingham or Coventry were just doing there job and don't deserve any commendation at all.

I have a good friend in London Transport police, and watching the whole operation gave me a huge sense of pride. The Spirit of a nation that I thought had been buried under a wave of political correctness and moral decay could be seen in the face of every firefighter, police officer, Paramedic and ordinary 'Tommy Atkins' in the street.

There have been only a few times when I can say I've been proud to be british. Watching the orderly, proffesional and dignified manner of everyone I saw on TV yesterday was certainly one of them..

Flatcapdriver

I heard on the radio earlier that one of the Pret a Manger outlets was handing out free drinks and food to the crowds queuing to get home. Certainly not heroic but definitely a great attitude.