Attacks on Firefighters

[brumble49]

Firefighter shot in eye

A FIREFIGHTER was shot in the eye with a paint ball pellet when answering an emergency call.

Firefighter Andy Wright was sitting by the open window in the fire engine when he was shot at by someone in a passing car.

The pellet hit him in the face and left him with a swollen eye.

He was treated after the crew arrived at the B&Q store in Croydon, where they had been called after a fire alarm had been set off.

The firefighter stayed on duty for the rest of the day.

The paint ball incident was reported to the police, who said this week they are investigating the matter.


LINK

[brumble49]

Fire crews attacked on bogus call-out

FIREFIGHTERS came under attack from stone throwing thugs when they attended a bogus call-out.
Crews from Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs had received annonymous reports of a rubbish bin blaze in Greenhead Road, Lennoxtown.
But when they arrived at the scene they discovered there was no fire.
Minutes later they were pelted with stones and bricks.
The firefighters called the police, who attended in order to allow the crews to clear up and leave the scene safely.
Divisional fire officer Joe Gallagher said: "The kind of attack that took place in Lennoxtown is totally unacceptable.
"It's distressing and intolerable that people who work for the safety of the community are subjected to such behaviour.
"Hoax calls are made and the people then lie in wait, but the brigade is still obliged to attend every reported emergency incident.
"It's terrible that these people are drawing firefighters into traps as appears to have happened in this case."
He added: "Some members of the public must know who carried out these attacks and we would urge them to report these people to the police."
The attack took place last Wednesday evening (March 2), at around 8pm.
Lennoxtown councillor John Dempsey is a member of the Strathclyde Fire Brigade Board and was disgusted on hearing about the incident.
He said: "I realise how hard these firefighters work - they are there to save life and limb, but to be called out for something like this is deplorable.
"There could have been a genuine fire elsewhere where lives were lost while they attended this bogus call.
"These young people are being allowed to roam the streets and cause mayhem wherever they go - they think they are untouchable and to date it looks as though that is how others perceive them to be as well.
"We have an excellent beat policeman in Lennoxtown, but unfortunately he cannot be there 24 hours a day."
The attack in Lennoxtown came on the same night as an airgun attack on firefighters in Easterhouse.
Between April 2, 2004 and February 8 this year, there have been 106 acts of violence against Strathclyde firefighters, which includes 101 incidents of physical violence and five of verbal abuse.
Anyone with information about the incident in Lennoxtown is asked to contact Constable Andy Hood at Kirkintilloch Police Office on 0141 532 4400, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


LINK

[The Wise Old Owl]

Fire crew attacks \'played down\'



The official figures logging attacks on firefighters are not being properly recorded, Northern Ireland's Fire Brigade Union has claimed.
The comments follow five attacks on the Fire Service at the weekend.

One officer was hit with a stone and a fire engine was damaged in the attacks in Belfast, Lurgan and Newtownards on Sunday.

Union spokesman Jim Barbour said Health and Public Safety Minister Angela Smith was playing the attacks down.

"I am saying the minister is downplaying, as far as she can possibly get away with, each attack," he said.

'Greater understanding'

"I mean in the last fortnight, and this is a fact because I have the statistics, there have been 62 calls been 7 March and 21 March to our brigade headquarters at Lisburn for assistance at civil disturbance attacks.

"How does that add up with Angela Smith's statistics?

"There is something clearly wrong, someone is not telling the truth and I can tell you our firefighters are."

However, a statement from the Department of Health said it condemned the 1,060 incidents recorded involving the Fire Brigade in the last three years.

"A number of outreach initiatives are currently being developed with community representatives, youth organisations, cross community groups and via the Fire Brigade network of community safety officers and operational staff on Fire Stations," the statement said.

"These initiatives are already showing signs of reducing the number and severity of attacks on emergency services whilst providing a greater understanding of the Brigade's role in serving the community."

[mr angry]

Our second pump has a CCTV system fitted to it ( all be it a cheapo that makes poor quality recordings ) and evidence has been shown to the police on many occasions to which their reply is " aye,we know who they are but cant do anything because they are too young".
This is a bit disheartening especially as I was at a seminar recently regarding ASBOs (antisocial behaviour orders) and the local fiscal for our area commented on how he would be implementing these veciferrously (not sure bout spelling) but unfortunatley has forgot to tell the local police.

[flaming mad]

At last a result.

E04 Coatbridge came under a sustained attack in December 2003 while attending a bin fire with crew of 4 receiving various injuries. After a 6 day trial at Airdrie Sheriff Court one of the accused was convicted on 6 charges. Remanded in custody for a fortnight awaiting social enquiry reports. The Sheriff is considering putting sentencing to the High Court as the maximum he can give is 3 years and he considers the case merits a lengthy custodial sentence. The other accused was found not proven on 2 charges and acquited.

[pxzmbur]

Fire attack 'claim' is rejected

Fire engines have been damaged in attacks on crews
Claims that the number of attacks on firefighters have been played down have been rejected by the Health and Public Safety Minister Angela Smith.
On Tuesday, the Fire Bridge Union accused the government of under reporting such incidents.

Five separate attacks on fire crews across Northern Ireland at the weekend left one firefighter injured and a fire engine damaged.

Angela Smith described the accusation as "blatantly untrue".

She urged firefighters to make sure all attacks were brought to the attention of the authorities.

"If that is the case, I really would urge those firefighters who report the cases to make sure that the reports are accurate, because the report themselves come from firefighters out on the ground," she said.

"They report them to headquarters and I get the figures from them."

FBU spokesman Jim Barbour claimed Ms Smith's statistics on attacks did not match those held by the fire service.

[hcfc]

probably been mentioned already, but i bet we have all been guilty of not reporting attacks
if we don't report we will lose the argument !
in a way it may benefit us because if we all start properly reporting it would look like such a percentage increase it might force action?

[chrisd]

Youth stoned us at a job last week, already had an asbo, gaffa followed it through and cops have done him under new law. Bawbag will now do some"time" for his crime. Cried big time but no sympathy as we've been on the receiving end of his bricks and spit for a long time.

[pxzmbur]

A crew in Salford came under attack again last night and the windscreen was shattered by an airgun.

[orphan2]

YOBS STONE FIREFIGHTERS

FIREFIGHTERS on a routine call have been pelted with stones once again.

A four-man crew came under attack from yobs as they attended a small rubbish fire in Boldon Colliery last night, when two of the firefighters were hit in the back by the missiles.
The South Shields fire appliance was sent to John Street at 6.30pm after reports that a small pile of rubbish had been torched on the street.
Gangs of youths had gathered around the blaze to watch the drama, but everything turned sour as soon as the firefighters started work.
The attack comes just days after paramedics, speeding to an emergency, had a lucky escape after a yob hurled a stone through their ambulance windscreen in Boldon Lane, South Shields, last Wednesday at 11.55am.
Firefighters have now pleaded with parents and youngsters to let them do their job after the latest attack.
Station Officer Bill West said: "About
n Turn to Page 3
half a dozen of the kids were verbally abusing the crew."
"A couple of minutes later a stone came flying over a wall and it was followed by a few more as the fire was put out.
"Some of our firefighters were hit but thankfully they weren't injured. They just did their job, called the police and got out of there."
He added: "I have been in the job for 28 years and it has always been around, but it seems to have got worse over the last six or seven years.
"Our equipment has changed to reflect the problem too. People think we wear our visors to protect us from debris and suchlike, but we have goggles for that.
"The visors are there for the sole reason that we can't risk our firefighters being hit in the face by missiles thrown by kids.
"I honestly have no idea why they do this. We go to schools and have chats with the kids about fire safety, and I always ask the same question: why do you do it?
"But we never get a proper answer and I'm just as baffled by it as I always have been.
"People need to realise the importance of the job we do and just let us get on with it. We shouldn't have to deal with attacks like this."

06 April 2005
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