A CHARITY is working with firefighters to support victims through 999 traumas.

The British Red Cross Society is working with Cleveland Fire Brigade to deliver a Teesside Fire Victim Support Service, giving families physical and emotional support and guidance in the first few hours following a difficult ordeal, whether it is a fire, flood or storm damage.

Victims can use shower and toilet facilities on board a vehicle as well as being provided with food and clothing for all members of the family.

The service has undergone trials in Middlesbrough and will now be extended to cover all of Teesside.

Mark Whelan, Cleveland Fire Brigade's director of operations and community safety, said: "The Fire Victim Support Service is a valuable resource to fire victims, providing emotional and practical help.

"The partnership between ourselves and the Red Cross is essential: they support us when we call them out to an incident and we support them with the maintenance, garaging and fuelling of the vehicle along with offering them practical and professional advice."

The service operates with 14 volunteers, but the Red Cross is looking for recruits for a rota call out system between 7pm and 7am, Monday to Friday and for 24 hours at the weekends.

To volunteer call on 0191-273 7961.