Award for county crisis team (From Worcester News)
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Award for county crisis team
10:30pm Friday 12th October 2012 in News
WINNERS: Mike Warner, Worcestershire County Council’s emergency officer; Maggie Collins, Worcestershire Crisis Support Team leader; county council chairman Councillor Rob Adams and crisis support officer Debi Harrison
A team of volunteers who provide support to victims and families during emergencies have won a national award.
The Worcestershire Crisis Support Team (WCST) impressed the judges to win the Emergency Planning Initiative of the Year 2012 award.
WCST is led by Worcestershire County Council’s emergency planning unit and draws on volunteers from a range of agencies to work alongside police family liaison officers in supporting those affected by a major crisis.
Mike Warner, the county council’s emergency officer who set up the WCST alongside colleague Libby Tassell, said: “This is recognition, respect and validation of our hard work over the past three years.
"It is a true partnership effort, sharing a range of skills and experience under a shared identity.”
Judges from the Emergency Planning Society were particularly impressed with the multi-agency aspect of WCST.
The team’s volunteers are put through their paces during an intensive training programme delivered by the partner agencies which include British Red Cross, Samaritans, Cruse, Interfaith Forum, Cooperative Funeral Care, NHS Worcestershire, West Mercia Police and the county council.
After February’s Alvechurch School coach crash in France, which left several pupils critically injured and killed teacher Peter Rippington, they offered support to youngsters and parents.
