NFDC Corporate members spearhead post-riot clean up across the UK.
It has been a week that Great Britain will want to forget. Riots – supposedly sparked by the shooting of a man by police in London, quickly spread across the country – quickly degenerating from civil unrest to widespread looting and violence. But with the police reclaiming the streets, the post-riot cleanup operation is now in full swing, with local residents banding together to restore their damaged neighbourhoods.
Spearheading this cleanup operation are Corporate Members of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors who have been tasked with razing and making safe buildings damaged by fires started at the height of the riots. In Tottenham, North London – where the riots began – Squibb Group was on hand within 24 hours of a CarpetRight store being torched. And in Croydon, South London, 777 Group is taking down what remains of the House of Reeves furniture store that was largely destroyed in an arson attack two nights ago.
As the unrest has spread northward, taking in Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Manchester, NFDC members are on standby to help local authorities make the streets safe for law-abiding local residents.
“Our members are ideally paced to assist local authorities and the emergency services having to deal with buildings made unsafe and unstable by fire,” says NFDC President Gary Bishop. “We can provide national coverage and our members have all been independently audited for competence, safety, experience and professionalism. Furthermore, any local authority calling upon the help of an NFDC member can rest assured that staff are fully trained and that their insurance credentials are all in place.”
Bishop says that the NFDC website is an invaluable tool for local authorities seeking an emergency demolition response. “With just a few clicks of a mouse, local authorities can quickly locate a professional and highly experiences local demolition contractor to assist in making buildings safe following a fire,” Bishop adds. “The majority of our members also publish a mobile telephone number on the NFDC website, allowing them to provide a 24-hour/day emergency response.”
This is a view echoed by NFDC chief executive Howard Button who draws parallels with the Federation’s birth some 70 years ago. “The NFDC was born out of a need to make safe buildings damaged during the Blitz in 1941 and it remains an important – although, thankfully, under-utilised – skill possessed by all our members,” Button concludes. “We have the men, machines and know-how to tackle this incredibly difficult and delicate work; and we have a commitment to helping restore this country.”
