Grenfell Fire Response Team
You may be interested in the Grenfell Fire Response Team:
The Grenfell Fire Response Team has been set up to support residents
affected by the fire. The team includes London-wide local and regional
government, central government, British Red Cross, Metropolitan Police,
London Fire Brigade and many different local and national voluntary groups.
The Grenfell Fire Response Team is being led by John Barradell, OBE, Chief
Executive of Corporation of London, and a Gold Command Centre has been set
up to manage the response.
We are working hard to put in place support and services for those affected
by the fire. a leaflet has been distributed in the
area around Grenfell Tower to signpost information about the support
available and a newsletter is regularly being produced.
The purpose of this update is to provide you with our latest information on
the response. You will now receive regular updates in this way. Please feel
free to pass this on to other people who may find it useful.
For up to the minute information follow them on Twitter
@grenfellsupport
Housing
We have offered emergency hotel accommodation in the local area to everyone
who needs it.
Housing numbers across Grenfell Tower, Grenfell Walk and the cordon area
are:
* In total there are 354 households in emergency accommodation.
* 140 hotel placements have been made for people living in Grenfell
Tower and Grenfell Walk.
* There are also 109 additional households now in hotels from the wider
affected area.
* There have been 59 additional high-vis workers, including 38 Red Cross
in the centre & undertaking community liaison.
* 137 keyworkers are supporting people affected.
Work is now taking place to assess the housing needs of all Grenfell Tower
and Grenfell Walk families to identify longer-term accommodation in the
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and neighbouring boroughs.
* So far 127 housing needs assessments have been completed.
* 21 households from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk have not had their
housing needs assessed yet. These households have been contacted. We
continue to work with the families using the assistance of volunteers to
accurately assess their needs.
* 28 viewings are taking place for families to view properties we have
offered to date.
* 68 new build flats as part of the Kensington Road development in the
borough will be provided to re-house residents from Grenfell Tower. These
will be ready by the end July 2017.
Financial assistance
* As of 12 midday on 22 June, £999,830 has been distributed to affected
families.
* This is made up of a £500 cash payments and £5,000 delivered through
DWP into bank accounts or similar in a single payment, along with
discretionary payments made by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
* 94 households have been given the £5,000 payments so far.
Boilers
* The hot water boiler which serves Grenfell Tower and surrounding
properties – covering a total of 394 homes – was located under the Tower and
completely destroyed by the fire.
* Military specialists have supported a local authority engineering
assessment on site. As a result, plans are now progressing to install a
temporary boiler. We will ensure this is in place as soon as possible.
* In the meantime, any residents who want to do so can be placed in
hotel accommodation.
Utility companies
* The Government and utility companies have announced a package of
support for Grenfell victims across energy, water and telecommunications.
This includes suppliers agreeing to write off outstanding utility bills for
victims of the fire, and the support comes on top of the £5 million fund to
pay for emergency supplies, food, clothes and other costs.
Air Quality
* Public Health England (PHE) has been providing specialist advice on
health following the Grenfell Tower fire. This includes health advice on air
quality, smoke exposure, asbestos, and the clean-up process.
* Grenfell Tower’s post is being held at Royal Mail’s West London
Delivery Centre, Unit 20-23, 7 Premier Park Road, London NW10 7NZ (Open from
8am – 2pm Mon to Sat). There will also be a collection location at Westway
Sports Centre Car Park. No ID is required for collection.
* A free Royal Mail Redirection service is available to those affected
for a period of one year . For more information on these services call 01752
387055.
Community Engagement
* There is now a single point of contact for voluntary and community
sector organisations that wish to discuss community engagement issues and
concerns. Please contact this email address if you would also like to be
added to the update bulletin:
Communityengagement@grenfellresponse.org
Further support
There are a range of support services available in the Assistance Centre.
This includes housing needs, emergency funds, health, social care services,
experienced volunteers from the Red Cross and other organisations, food and
above all, a kind and sympathetic team of people ready to provide advice on
anything.
The British Red Cross is coordinating and providing assistance. The British
Red Cross personnel, public sector staff, and volunteers have been on site
24 hours a day since early last Wednesday. They are undertaking outreach
work to find people who need help and we have also asked them to be at
airports to meet grieving relatives as they arrive. They can also help
distribute donations that have poured in from the public.
A British Red Cross helpline is in action to help give practical or
emotional support to anyone who needs it and capacity of this is being
expanded to give people a central point of contact. The number is 0800 458
9472.
Frequently asked questions
Are people in emergency housing being put in tower blocks?
No. People are being temporarily housed in hotel accommodation in or close
to the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.
Are people living in parks?
We are not aware of anybody living in parks and there is no need for people
to be living in parks if that is the case we would urge people to come to
the Westway Sports Centre so we can help with their housing needs.
Are people been forced out of the borough, or being made intentionally
homeless?
This is simply not true. No one is being forced to move out of London, or
being threatened with being made homeless. We’re working to find the right
accommodation for those affected residents, either in Kensington and Chelsea
or neighbouring boroughs.
Are people affected by the fire being asked for ID at the assessment centre?
People affected by the fire were issued letters informing them of the
process to access funding and we have asked them to show this letter as some
people may have had their IDs destroyed in the fire. This is to ensure those
who need support get it. They should not be asked for their ID.
Concerns about cyanide released in the air from the fire?
Public Health England air quality tests over the past week following the
Grenfell Tower fire shows no detectable deterioration in air quality. They
have advised that smoke from any fire is toxic and can contain a range of
chemicals such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, irritant gases such as
hydrogen chloride. The amounts of toxic products will vary with the
materials involved in a fire, its temperature and the amount of oxygen.
Undocumented migrants – What will happen to anyone who isn’t documented but
lived in the tower?
We will not use this tragic incident as a reason to carry out immigration
checks on those involved and those providing vital information to identify
victims. We will also make sure that all victims, irrespective of their
immigration status, will be able to access the services they need, including
accommodation and healthcare.
Media enquiries – Grenfell Fire Response Team 24 hour media centre on
020 7641 3677/3678/3679 or email
grenfellcomms@westminster.gov.uk
