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35
CIVIL DEFENCE CASUALTY SERVICES.
In 1937, arrangements were made for the preparation of a scheme for
the formation of an Air Raid Precautions Casualty Service.
During 1938, training and preparations proceeded and at the time of
the Munich crisis in September of that year, arrangements were made at
short notice for the equipping and staffing of three First Aid Posts, with
provision for a fourth to be held in reserve. Subsequent to this a more
permanent scheme was proceeded with, and just prior to the outbreak of
hostilities the Service was mobilised on a war-time basis. First Aid Posts
and Decontamination Stations were established in Redbridge, Fairlop and
Cleveland Road Schools, and at the King George Hospital, the Australasian
Hospital, Isolation Hospital, Mayesbrook School Clinic, and Valentines
Mansion. In each case the necessary structural alterations were carried out
by the Borough Engineer's Department. To these fixed First Aid Posts
were ultimately added one Heavy Mobile Unit and two Light Mobile Units,
and there were established three Invalid Rest Centres, and four Gas Cleansing
Stations. Arrangements were also made for medical and nursing services
to be available at the various Rest Centres in the Borough and at public
shelters.
In staffing these Units, considerable assistance was rendered by members
of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and the British Red Cross Society and
other volunteers. In this, and in the training of personnel, ready assistance
was given by Mr. F. T. Dean, Divisional Superintendent of the St. John
Ambulance Brigade, who acted as Liaison Officer between the Local
Authority and the two voluntary organisations.
First Aid training was undertaken by the Assistant Medical Officer of
Health for A.R.P. Casualty Services, local medical practitioners, and
instructors from the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and ultimately there was
organised a system of basic training carried out by the Borough Civil Defence
Training Officer, who assumed responsibility for instruction in the general
principles of Air Raid Precautions, Anti-Gas Measures and Incendiary
Bomb Control.
Members of the staff of the Department were engaged on various duties
connected with First Aid Posts, Rest Centres, Control and Report Centres,
Food Decontamination, courses of instruction, air raid incidents, inspection
of First Aid Posts and Depots, and general administration of the Service.
In the training and in the actual treatment of casualties at incidents and
First Aid Posts, much valuable assistance was rendered by medical staff of
the Department and local medical practitioners, 9 of whom were initially
appointed as First Aid Post Medical Officers.
The organisation worked in conjunction with four Casualty Receiving
Hospitals—the King George Hospital, Australasian Hospital, Goodmayes
Emergency Hospital and Claybury Emergency Hospital, operating under
the Emergency Hospital Service under the aegis of the Ministry of Health.
Close collaboration was maintained with the Borough Engineer's Department,
who had charge of the Ambulance Service, and the First Aid Party
and Rescue Party Services, which were ultimately merged to form the
Rescue Service. These were accommodated in three multiservice Depots
at the Beal School, Clarks Road and Clayhall.
The statistical picture is indicated by the following figures:—
The Casualty Services Personnel (8 First Aid Posts, 1 Heavy
Mobile Unit and 2 Light Mobile Units) totalled 1846, made up as
follows:—
Full-time 192
Part-time 1,556
“Directed'' personnel from the Ministry of Labour 98
For Security reasons it is impossible to give the number of casualties
treated at First Aid Posts or the number of civilian war deaths due to enemy
action.