Current Affairs Manchester Arena

[tsubaki]

Bumped because the official report into the response from the disaster has been released. It will be difficult reading for the fire brigade and for Vodafone, but sadly not for the media who are shameless:

As well as representatives from the emergency services, the council and the Arena, 200 members of the public affected by the attack on 22 May were interviewed by Kerslake’s team, including family and friends of 11 of the 22 people who died.

Many complained about being “hounded” and “bombarded” by the media. Some said photographers took “sneaky” pictures through a window when they were being told their loved ones had died.

At one hospital, a reporter sent a tin of biscuits for staff containing a note offering £2,000 for information. Several people told of the physical presence of crews outside their homes. One mentioned the forceful attempt by a reporter to gain access through their front door by ramming a foot in the doorway.

The child of one family was given condolences on the doorstep before official notification of the death of her mother. Another family told how their child was stopped by journalists while making their way to school.

There were at least two examples of impersonation, said Kerslake. One respondent said they talked to someone pretending to be a bereavement nurse; another said journalists phoned the hospital pretending to be from the police.

“To have experienced such intrusive and overbearing behaviour at a time of such enormous vulnerability seemed to us to be completely and utterly unacceptable,” Kerslake writes. He asks the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) to review the operation of its code and consider developing a new code specifically to cover similar events in future.

 

[Toast]

Bbc1 now is a tough watch already...

 

[goodisonopheliac]

I work at Wythenshawe Hospital and we recently had a memorial service. Loads of our staff attended the MEN after the bombing. It was a horrible night for Manchester. No-one I knew was hurt, thank G-d, but still, no-one should go to a gig and not come home.

 

[Toast]

Andy Burnham is a class act.

 

[bullybeef]

Bumped because the official report into the response from the disaster has been released. It will be difficult reading for the fire brigade and for Vodafone, but sadly not for the media who are shameless:

What did Vodaphone do or not do, as the case may be?

 

[tsubaki]

What did Vodaphone do or not do, as the case may be?

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...ne-apologises-hotline-failure-caused-14467719

 

[bignev23]

Going off that programme on BBC 2 last night the emergency services response was atrocious... Stopped firemen and ambulances and paramedics from entering the scene for 40 minutes as it had been declared a ' hot zone' and they aren't allowed to enter. This is the society we now live in where emergency responders aren't allowed to the emergency incase they are injured themselves. Utter madness.

 

[PhilM]

Going off that programme on BBC 2 last night the emergency services response was atrocious... Stopped firemen and ambulances and paramedics from entering the scene for 40 minutes as it had been declared a ' hot zone' and they aren't allowed to enter. This is the society we now live in where emergency responders aren't allowed to the emergency incase they are injured themselves. Utter madness.

While I'm not excusing the failures, primarily by the GMFRS and NWAS, there are legitimate reasons why such operational procedures are planned.

For example, there's been examples in the past where responders are targeted in a secondary attack. One example in Warren Point in '72.

If used correctly, it would then reduce their overall effectiveness which could potentially lead to an immediate third attack - possibly the main one.

Put simply, launch a diversionary attack to draw the services in, attack them to reduce their numbers and then launch a main offensive.

There were similar concerns after the Westminster Attack with reports of imminent secondary attacks, which lead to certain decisions being made.

With the Area bombing, from what I recall it was misleading reports of the assailant still being on the loose amongst other reports that caused it.

What isn't excusable however, at least in my humble opinion, is how long it took for the Fire Service (nearly two hours!) to finally release personnel.

Once the location is believed to be secure after a sweep, then it should be downgraded and the failure of command will be something highlighted.

AirWave allows for joint communication between the services, so to say information wasn't passed on is simply not good enough!

 

[DanEFC92]

<3