Essex rises to the challenge

The Police and Crime Commissioner has paid tribute to the outstanding work of Essex Police, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, the East of England Ambulance Service, NHS England, our councils, volunteers and partner agencies in working together to keep the people of Essex safe during the tidal surges.  Nick Alston said: “I was in the operational control room at Essex Police Headquarters on Thursday night and was able to see at first hand the meticulous and professional work of the emergency planning teams.  It was a very fast moving and unpredictable situation, and everyone was committed to doing their utmost to protect residents from harm.  Lots of fine judgements were being made, and particular attention was paid to ensuring vulnerable people were cared for. “I would like to pay tribute to the people of our county who behaved with great dignity and understanding, even when evacuation plans were implemented at short notice. “As the sun rises, we will have a clearer sense of the impact of the floods.  We can all be proud of the spirit displayed by the people of Essex and the way in which our county rose to the challenge of coastal flooding.”