TOWN STOOD UNITED IN FACE OF BOMB ATROCITY
Town stood united in face of bomb atrocity
A SPECIAL award was presented to the people of Omagh yesterday in recognition of their strength, selflessness and compassion in tragic circumstances.
Red Cross branch manager Mary Brogan was among 16 volunteers who were also awarded Certificates of High Commendation for their tireless work in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb.
Mary said: "The awards in a small way acknowledge unsung heroes, like the people on the street who dragged strangers and friends from the, rubble.
"Everyone in the town was affected in some way, but everyone did what they could to help."
Red Cross volunteers worked alongside the emergency services and medical teams, doing necessary tasks such as administration and hospital portering duties.
They were there to provide a shoulder to cry on when distraught families had to identify their dead relatives.
The world's media have moved on but Red Cross volunteers are still in Omagh transporting the injured to hospital appointments and offering constant practical and emotional support.
Mary said: "There were some very gory scenes, but the volunteers did what they could to shelter the children from it all. One volunteer was pushing a trolley to a helicopter and he had the person's leg in a bag. It was very traumatic, but we were all glad to be able to help.
"Before this I feared volunteers might get in the way in an emergency but although we all knew people who were killed, the volunteers showed their training and acted in a very professional manner. I am very proud of our work today."
A SPECIAL award was presented to the people of Omagh yesterday in recognition of their strength, selflessness and compassion in tragic circumstances.
Red Cross branch manager Mary Brogan was among 16 volunteers who were also awarded Certificates of High Commendation for their tireless work in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb.
Mary said: "The awards in a small way acknowledge unsung heroes, like the people on the street who dragged strangers and friends from the, rubble.
"Everyone in the town was affected in some way, but everyone did what they could to help."
Red Cross volunteers worked alongside the emergency services and medical teams, doing necessary tasks such as administration and hospital portering duties.
They were there to provide a shoulder to cry on when distraught families had to identify their dead relatives.
The world's media have moved on but Red Cross volunteers are still in Omagh transporting the injured to hospital appointments and offering constant practical and emotional support.
Mary said: "There were some very gory scenes, but the volunteers did what they could to shelter the children from it all. One volunteer was pushing a trolley to a helicopter and he had the person's leg in a bag. It was very traumatic, but we were all glad to be able to help.
"Before this I feared volunteers might get in the way in an emergency but although we all knew people who were killed, the volunteers showed their training and acted in a very professional manner. I am very proud of our work today."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/348
Published Date: 17-Oct-98
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