Camden Town and King’s Cross traders on frontline for terror attack

Published: 17th March, 2011
by JAMIE WELHAM

TRADERS in Camden Town and King’s Cross are to be taught life-saving first aid to prepare for a July 7-style terror attack in London.

The Met Police and British Red Cross are running a course of “serious incident” drills in the run-up to the Olympics – a scheme that is the first of its kind in the UK.

Officers are targeting market traders and shop owners in Camden and Islington who would be first on the scene of an emergency.

The exercises will cover how to treat glass and shrapnel wounds, what to do if someone suffers serious burns and how best to help the emergency services respond. It is the first time police have given specialist emergency training to members of the public. 

It is understood police will be distributing medical kits to businesses in the King’s Cross area to prepare them for major incidents such as suicide bombings.

Sergeant Andrew Wadeson, of Islington police, said: “This is a local initiative specific to Islington and Camden boroughs. In these times when terrorism is a very real threat to the community, this will equip staff within local businesses with important skills in the event of a major incident or attack on the borough. 

“I am pleased we are the first boroughs in the Met to offer this service.”

About 200 people across the two boroughs will be trained over a period of 12 months in specially identified “security zones”. Each session lasts around five hours, costing police about £3,500 to fund. 

The New Journal understands a number of businesses around King’s Cross station have installed bomb-proof glass over the past six months as an additional security measure and talks are under way about deploying armed police to patrol the Underground. 

The area faces a heightened security risk as it prepares to host the world’s media during the Olympics. It has one of the busiest transport hubs in the country and will also be the site of the controversial Medical Research Council “super-lab”.

Roger Smalley, superintendent of operations at Camden police, has warned that there are a lot of “unknowns” facing the force in King’s Cross. 

He confirmed the borough would be able to call on Scotland Yard for reinforcements if the area becomes a target.

Pamela Chapman, operations manager for the Red Cross, said: “First aid saves lives, and the Red Cross wants to equip as many people as possible with the skills to help in an emergency. 

“This partnership is great for us because we will be working with police to teach those people who live or work in crowded areas of the city and are therefore more likely to be in a position to help when emergency strikes. 

“Whether in the chaos of a major incident or in the event of any everyday accident, more Londoners will have the knowledge and the extra confidence to step in and save a life.”