London firefighters helping rescue victims of the earthquake in Turkey have been praised by the brigade’s chief, who said they “represent the best” of his team.
Andy Roe, Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), said the 12 members of his crew currently deployed in the disaster zone were setting an example for their colleagues.
Mr Roe was speaking at a meeting of the London Assembly, as elected members were preparing to ask him what progress the LFB has made after an independent review found it to be institutionally misogynist and racist.
The Commissioner said that while it was important to focus “on the things that the London Fire Brigade must and should do better”, he wanted to reflect first on his team’s efforts to help people stuck in the earthquake’s wreckage.
“I’ve got twelve people on the ground in Turkey - they represent the best of the London Fire Brigade, the aspects of the role which we should aspire to,” said Mr Roe.
“To date they’ve pulled three live casualties from the rubble… and I anticipate them doing more.”
“I think if I could bottle that, that world-class professionalism, the team-work, the bravery, and bring it into all the other areas of the business, we’ll see the change that you quite rightly demand and Londoner’s deserve.
“They’re operating in the most difficult circumstances, and I think they’re a credit to the London Fire Brigade and the fire service nationally.
“It’s not lost on me either that the whole UK deployment is led by a London Fire Brigade senior officer, one of the most experienced in his class, as it were.”
The 12 London firefighters are part of a team of 76 search and rescue specialists from 14 fire services across the UK, who travelled to the region of the Turkish-Syrian border on Tuesday.
The London Assembly meeting on Thursday had started with a minute’s silence to remember the lives lost as a result of the earthquake.
An emergency motion was later put forward by Conservative Assembly Member Emma Best, calling for “the Mayor of London and the Foreign Office to work together to support Londoners personally impacted by this disaster who have loved ones in the impacted region”.
Ms Best said “the personal pain has been palpable” within her community in north-east London, and that she would be working with Chingford MP Iain Duncan-Smith to collect donations in aid of the people affected.
The motion was seconded by Labour member Joanne McCartney, who represents Haringey and Enfield - with the latter borough thought to have the largest Turkish-speaking community in the country.
Ms McCartney said that when the meeting began at 10am, the death toll from the disaster was 16,000, but that it had risen to around 17,500 by the time she was speaking at 2.30pm.
She said many of her constituents were “still waiting for news of loved ones”.
The motion was unanimously supported by the Assembly, which includes Labour, Conservative, Green and Lib-Dem members.
