Bus Use in London Emergency
 

The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...
The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London this
morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?
--


Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the emergency
services and local authorities in any major incident in the Capital. There
are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which service buses can be
commandeered for removal of casualties and for the transport of persons
involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at the heart of these activities.

Simon

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

Ian Jelf wrote:
The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

I have to say, I hope they weren't used to transport the survivors of
the bus bomb.

How traumatic to be packed on to ANOTHER bus after that.

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ian Jelf wrote:
The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

I have to say, I hope they weren't used to transport the survivors of
the bus bomb.

How traumatic to be packed on to ANOTHER bus after that.


Unfortunately, its hard to observe such niceties at times like these. With
the Ambulance Service at full stretch, it is necessary to use any
alternative transport for walking wounded (so that emergency vehicles can be
concentrated on stretcher patients needing advanced life support). The LAS
will be utilising as many PTS (outpatient) vehicles where they can. But
buses are ideal and already in the areas affected so time can be saved.

The buses may also have been moving people who are uninjured and not
directly involved: ie those caught up in the disruption.

In situations such as this, pragmatism has to win out over sentimentality
I'm afraid.

Simon

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

the new avenger wrote:
"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...

The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London this
morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?
--



Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the emergency
services and local authorities in any major incident in the Capital. There
are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which service buses can be
commandeered for removal of casualties and for the transport of persons
involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at the heart of these activities.

Simon


I was a bit surprised to hear that 'walking wounded' from Kings X were
transported to an hospital near Liverpool Street that was already
dealing with serious wounded from Aldgate East and Liverpool Street
stations. My first thought was to move minor injured persons form Kings
X by mainline trains to places like Luton or Watford, taking off
pressure from the London hospitals.

hgrm

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

"Han Monsees" wrote in message
.. .
I was a bit surprised to hear that 'walking wounded' from Kings X were
transported to an hospital near Liverpool Street that was already dealing
with serious wounded from Aldgate East and Liverpool Street stations. My
first thought was to move minor injured persons form Kings X by mainline
trains to places like Luton or Watford, taking off pressure from the
London hospitals.


It depends how the casualties got there. The ambulance service follows a
laid down incident plan - casualties arriving on foot or by other means
could turn up anywhere (and at any time...delayed shock means some can
wander for hours).

Trains would not normally be considered for use in this way for a variety of
logistical reasons.

Speaking as someone who works in the Ambulance Service I would caution
against people on the 'outside looking in' as it were speculating on what
should or shouldn't be happening - there really are a number of factors that
come into play in these situations.

Simon

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

"the new avenger" wrote in message
...

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...
The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London this
morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?
--


Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the emergency
services and local authorities in any major incident in the Capital. There
are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which service buses can
be commandeered for removal of casualties and for the transport of persons
involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at the heart of these activities.

Simon



In fact across the country many local government emergency plans include
powers to commandeer public buses to provide transport to safe areas in
emergency situations.

Andrew

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

"the new avenger" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ian Jelf wrote:
The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

I have to say, I hope they weren't used to transport the survivors of
the bus bomb.

How traumatic to be packed on to ANOTHER bus after that.


Unfortunately, its hard to observe such niceties at times like these. With
the Ambulance Service at full stretch, it is necessary to use any
alternative transport for walking wounded (so that emergency vehicles can
be concentrated on stretcher patients needing advanced life support). The
LAS will be utilising as many PTS (outpatient) vehicles where they can.
But buses are ideal and already in the areas affected so time can be
saved.

The buses may also have been moving people who are uninjured and not
directly involved: ie those caught up in the disruption.

In situations such as this, pragmatism has to win out over sentimentality
I'm afraid.

Simon

Phone network grind to a halt to...

http://www.systemtek.co.uk/News/Other/other_070705.htm

all all the rest..tereble

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

In message , Han Monsees
writes

I was a bit surprised to hear that 'walking wounded' from Kings X were
transported to an hospital near Liverpool Street that was already
dealing with serious wounded from Aldgate East and Liverpool Street
stations. My first thought was to move minor injured persons form Kings
X by mainline trains to places like Luton or Watford, taking off
pressure from the London hospitals.

On the lunchtime news, a senior doctor from the Royal London (who are
believed to haven taken the bulk of the casualties) said they had ample
capacity and didn't even have to call extra staff in, although some did
volunteer.

--
Paul Terry

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

In message , the new
avenger writes
Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the emergency
services and local authorities in any major incident in the Capital. There
are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which service buses can be
commandeered for removal of casualties and for the transport of persons
involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at the heart of these activities.

That's good, sensible and reassuring to hear. I've just never heard of
it actually being *done* before. Has it been?

And - of course - best wishes to all those involved, both the casualties
and those who swung into action to help them.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...
In message , the new
avenger writes
Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the emergency
services and local authorities in any major incident in the Capital. There
are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which service buses can
be
commandeered for removal of casualties and for the transport of persons
involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at the heart of these activities.

That's good, sensible and reassuring to hear. I've just never heard of
it actually being *done* before. Has it been?


I'm not sure - possibly not; however many plans have been developed and
formulated after the attacks in New York in 2001. This of course is the
first concerted terrorist attack in the UK which has been directed at the
transport system so its natural that the transport system should be heavily
involved in the recovery operations after. My knowledge of Centrecomm is
rather basic; having been involved in contingency planning as a serving
officer in the Ambulance Service I am only aware of the basics with regard
to London, TfL and its operations. As has been pointed out, in any major
incident - and it need not be terrorist related, it could be natural
disasters - public transport anywhere in the UK can be commandeered for use.

From what I've heard so far, the emergency services AND the transport
authorities in London are coping very well indeed, far better in fact than
many emergency staff would have suspected. No doubt there will be lessons to
be learned, but they will be the sort that no 'exercise' will ever teach,
and thus our response to any similar incidents in the future will be even
more resilient.

Simon

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005, the new avenger wrote:

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...

The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?

Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the
emergency services and local authorities in any major incident in the
Capital. There are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which
service buses can be commandeered for removal of casualties and for the
transport of persons involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at the
heart of these activities.

I've never heard of them before. Do they have a bunker? Please tell me
they have a bunker.

tom

--
They travel the world in their ice cream van ...

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005, Andrew wrote:

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...

The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?

In fact across the country many local government emergency plans include
powers to commandeer public buses to provide transport to safe areas in
emergency situations.

One of the things i was told when i moved to Oxford was that there were
enough buses in the city to evacuate it in half an hour. There certainly
are a lot of buses.

I was also told that the university's chemistry ddepartment had a plan for
dealing with a major fire at the organic chemistry laboratory which
involved doing just that!

tom

--
They travel the world in their ice cream van ...

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005 19:03:07 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005, the new avenger wrote:

Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the
emergency services and local authorities in any major incident in the
Capital. There are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which
service buses can be commandeered for removal of casualties and for the
transport of persons involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at the
heart of these activities.

I've never heard of them before. Do they have a bunker? Please tell me
they have a bunker.

tom


Hardly. Centrecomm is part of London Buses and is based at Company
HQ.

Rob.
--
rob at robertwoolley dot co dot uk

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...
The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London this
morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?

Yes.

World War 2. .... don't EFE have a bus in US ambulance colours?

and to a lesser extent ...
World War 1.



--
IanH

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005, Robert Woolley wrote:

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005 19:03:07 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005, the new avenger wrote:

Part of the duties of Centrecomm, the Transport for London bus Control
Centre, involve coordinating bus operations and liaison with the
emergency services and local authorities in any major incident in the
Capital. There are very comprehensive emergency procedures under which
service buses can be commandeered for removal of casualties and for
the transport of persons involved in the aftermath. Centrecomm is at
the heart of these activities.

I've never heard of them before. Do they have a bunker? Please tell me
they have a bunker.

Hardly. Centrecomm is part of London Buses and is based at Company
HQ.

They need a bunker.

tom

--
3364147 Complete space vehicles (excluding propulsion systems)

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005 19:03:07 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005, the new avenger wrote:

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...

The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?
I'm sure we did this after the Clapham crash - by local arrangement
though.

P

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

On Thu, 7 Jul 2005 21:30:55 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

Hardly. Centrecomm is part of London Buses and is based at Company
HQ.

They need a bunker.

Presumably if the situation was bad enough to need a bunker, said
buses probably won't be any use anyway, or people could just take and
use them as required as law and order would likely have broken down.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

"ian henden" wrote in message
...

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...
The use of ordinary service buses to transport the injured in London
this
morning appears to have been a widespread and planned-for action.

Is there any precedent for this, I wonder?

Yes.

World War 2. .... don't EFE have a bus in US ambulance colours?

and to a lesser extent ...
World War 1.

Also all bus drivers in Kent and Sussex (and other areas I assume) where
issued with instructions during WW2 as to what to do if they where on normal
stage carriage service and the Germans invaded.

Basically it was a scheme to ferry as many of the population as far away
from the South Coast as possible using buses already in the area.

Thankfully it was never needed!

Regards
John M Upton

Bus Use in London Emergency
 

and to a lesser extent ...
World War 1.


--

Indeed, the drivers of the London General Omnibus Company actually
drove some of their B class buses to the front in Flanders. An example
of such a bus is in the Imperial War Museum, and this is the reason
that its drivers and those of its successor, London Transport, and now
the privatised bus companies (ironically one of them being the
General!) are allowed to parade before the Cenotaph on Remembrance
Sunday.