2023-10-22 13:12:28
White Cross rescuers intervened during bomb threats at Beauvais-Tillé airport. (Photos: La Croix Blanche) First aid workers from La Croix Blanche intervened during bomb threats at Beauvais-Tillé airport. (Photos: La Croix Blanche)
This week, in a rather heavy context with the attacks which took place in Arras on October 13 and in Brussels three days later, the bomb threats have multiplied in the country. Several airports French were affected. Among them, Lille-Lesquin, Toulouse, Nantes, Nice, Lyon, but also Beauvais (Oise).
Twice, Wednesday October 18 and Thursday October 19, the Beauvais airport located in Tillé had to be completely evacuated following a threatening email would have been received by the staff. Friday October 20, a third alert was triggered, this time without evacuation.
A thousand passengers to manage urgently
On site, a large team made up of gendarmes, police, soldiers and firefighters was present while the deminers carried out their work. But in the meantime, we had to take care of the thousand passengers who were patiently waiting for their plane before the bomb threat was raised.
Thus, volunteers from the Red Crossfrom Civil protection of Oise but also of The White Cross of Beauvais were dispatched to the scene to assist the police. “It’s the Prefecture that calls on usindicates Meghan Dumont, member of the association and present on site. Behind, we alert our volunteers to organize themselves and give a response time. On Wednesday, we were notified quite late. The alert was raised when we arrived. But on Thursday, we got the alert at 12:45 p.m. We were at another aid station, at the Pellerin college cross country at Kennedy Park in Beauvais. I managed to get a few volunteers to go to the bomb threat.»
Deported to the Elispace of Beauvais and the Tillé gymnasium
In total, between four and six members of La Croix Blanche were present during the followingnoon, until around 4 p.m. “The travelers were deported to the Elispace in Beauvais and the Tillé gymnasiumexplains Meghan. We distributed 24 packs of 36 small bottles to all travelers and airport staff. The different associations were divided into the two rooms to take care of everyone as quickly as possible.»
And a bomb threat, even if there isn’t a bomb in the end, it’s still not very reassuring, especially when you were regarding to put on your most beautiful flowered shorts on a beach on an island Mediterranean. So it was also necessary to reassure people. “They were worried, but still felt reassured overallnoted Meghan. Before getting on the bus at the airport to go to the gym or Elispace, everyone was searched by the police.»
“We are here to help the population”
The volunteers, for their part, didn’t think, bomb or not. “We are here to help the populationexplains the rescuer. Besides, those who were available on Wednesday returned on Thursday.» As most of them had completed level 2 team first aid training (PSE2), where the theme of attacks or mass killings is raised, the volunteers were ready. Even if for some of them it was a great first. «But exercises in this direction are sometimes organized with the prefecture, the firefighters and the gendarmes.», specifies Meghan.
For others, like Meghan and Yoannn Gumineau, president of the Beauvais association, it was unfortunately not a first. “When we were at Civil Protection, we intervened in Saint-Denis in 2015 following the attacks at the Stade de France, to provide socio-psychological support of which we have some knowledgeshe remembers. We had to take care of the residents who were evicted. It was an enriching experience, but we would have liked not to do it of course…»
With the current situation, the volunteers of La Croix Blanche and other associations called during these events will undoubtedly have to prepare as best they can to ensure the next deadlines…
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