Community rise to challenge (From Malvern Gazette)

Community rise to challenge

10:31am Friday 3rd August 2007 in Letters

I would like to express the gratitude of Herefordshire Police to the many members of the public who tirelessly assisted the emergency services and local authority as we dealt with the recent flooding.

Many of our own staff worked well beyond the call of their normal duties to deal with the unprecedented number of emergency calls. They have in turn made me aware of the many, many examples of members of the community pulling together to help others.

Whether it was people bringing their 4x4 vehicles to help with the evacuation of flood-hit areas or householders who simply provided a cup of tea and a friendly face to emergency services personnel and stranded motorists, all of the help was extremely welcome.

That this was offered voluntarily and without a hint of complaint during truly appalling weather conditions speaks volumes about the character of people in Herefordshire.

We are fortunate to benefit from this strong community spirit year in, year out, but it is particularly evident during times of adversity.

It is an impossible task to identify and acknowledge the individual contributions of everyone involved, such was the sheer volume of support received. May I instead offer the heartfelt thanks of all officers and staff within Herefordshire Division.

We can be secure in the knowledge that, should the county experience similar adversity in the future, there are many among us who will rise to the challenge and ensure that the task of keeping our communities safe is that much easier.

I naturally extend my sympathies to all those who remain affected by the consequences of the flooding and hope that the many involved in restoring families and communities to normality as soon as possible are encouraged in their efforts.

Chief Supt Mark Turner divisional commander, Herefordshire Police Division.