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and Fire Services, to assist in formulating schemes for dealing with disasters. It was
decided that in London it would be appropriate for the London Ambulance Service
to initiate the calling out of the nearest available mobile medical team from designated
hospitals in cases where large numbers of trapped or seriously injured casualties were
involved. When necessary, it was also agreed that the Ambulance Service would
provide transport for medical teams.
On no occasion during 1955 were the special arrangements described above put
into operation. There were, nevertheless, a number of accidents involving injury to
several persons as the following list, which is not comprehensive, shows :—
2nd January Outbreak of fire in Wilkes Street, Stepney ; nine casualties
removed, three of whom had been fatally injured. At
this incident, use was made of an ambulance bus as a
temporary rest centre for persons rendered homeless by
the fire.
26th January A coach crashed into a shop at the junction of Old Kent
Road and Trafalgar Avenue ; 11 casualties removed to
hospital.
18th February Railway accident at Stepney East Station ; seven casualties
removed to hospital.
14th April A train hit the buffers at Euston Station ; six casualties
taken to hospital.
12th June Outbreak of fire at Shepherd's Bush Green ; seven
casualties taken to hospital.
3rd August Railway collision at Aldwych Station ; five casualties
taken to hospital.
20th August Collision of trolley buses at the junction of Parkhurst
Road and Chambers Road, Holloway ; five casualties
removed to hospital.
8th October Outbreak of fire at Dufferin Street, Finsbury ; five
casualties, three of whom were found to be dead, taken to
hospital.
2nd November Outbreak of fire in Brighton Terrace, Brixton ; seven
casualties taken to hospital.
1st December Railway accident at Bromley-by-Bow Station ; 17
casualties taken to hospital and five casualties treated for
minor injuries.
In addition to attending the more serious accidents detailed above, assistance was
rendered at the rail collision which occurred near Barnes Railway Station on 2nd
December. At the request of Surrey Ambulance Service, two accident ambulances and
an emergency vehicle were despatched to the scene and five patients were removed.
In the meantime, ambulances from the general section conveyed seven casualties home
from hospital, transferred casualties between hospitals, and carried out one ordinary
urgent general removal on behalf of Surrey Ambulance Service.
Visitors
During 1955 more than 150 visitors, several of whom came from abroad, were
shown over the Headquarters control room, and many took the opportunity of looking
at a fully-equipped accident ambulance and of inspecting an ambulance station. Among
the parties for whom special arrangements were made, including a short lecture on the
organization and operation of the Service, were students from the Royal College of
Nursing, St. John Ambulance Brigade cadets, and first-aiders attached to the London
Electricity Board.
Premises
Mottingham Accident Ambulance Station—This was the second ambulance station to be
opened since the war and came into operation on 10th October. It accommodates
three ambulances, one of which is engaged continuously on emergency work, and
covers the extreme south east of London leaving the ambulances stationed at Lee
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