Date: 8th September, 2022
Tributes paid to HM Queen Elizabeth II
The Chair of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, and the Chief Fire Officer of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, have paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who has died at the age of 96.
Buckingham Palace issued the following statement yesterday (8 September 2022): The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.
To honour The Queen, flags have been lowered to half-mast at fire stations and offices across Dorset and Wiltshire. During the national period of mourning, the flag flying protocol will be followed.
Chair of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Cllr Rebecca Knox, and Chief Fire Officer of Dorset & Wiltshire, Ben Ansell, said: “On behalf of the Authority and the Service, we wish to send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family. The loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is a devastating blow to the whole country and Commonwealth, but also to her family for whom she was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
“For so many of us, we have only known Her Majesty as our monarch. We are grateful for her life of devoted service, and her lifelong support of the emergency services. She will be missed more than we can say.
“Her loss will affect everyone, not just here in the UK but around the world. So many of our personnel are proud to wear her medals, including Queen’s Fire Service Medals, those for Long Service and Good Conduct, or for one or more of her Jubilees.
“As well as flying our flags at half-mast, we have opened a Book of Condolence at Service Headquarters, and we are reviewing our non-emergency activities over the coming days to ensure that we observe the national period of mourning in the most respectful way.”
Paying respects
There are multiple ways that people can pay their respects to HM Queen Elizabeth following her death on 8 September. There is a national online book of condolence on the Royal family website: https://www.royal.uk/send-message-condolence
Alternatively, the four local authorities have put plans into place as follows.
- BCP Council – Books of condolence and floral tributes
- Dorset Council – Books of condolence and floral tributes
- Swindon Borough Council – Online book of condolence
- Swindon Borough Council – Books of condolence and floral tributes
- Wiltshire Council – Online book of condolence