Attacks on Firefighters

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Firefighters attacked at house fire in Sunderland

Three people were arrested on Wednesday night (5 April) for assaulting firefighters as they tackled a house fire in Sunderland. In total, four firefighters were hurt with one requiring hospital treatment.

Fire crews were responding to a house fire in Houghton le Spring, Sunderland when the attack took place. An adult male gained entry to a fire engine at the scene and sat in the driver's seat. When he was asked to exit the vehicle, the man became aggressive punching one firefighter in the head and another in the face. The man was then joined by two others who continued the assault - one of whom was armed with a knife.

The assailants have been charged with assault, affray, theft and arson with intent to endanger life. A criminal investigation is underway.

Andy Dark, assistant general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), said: “This was a senseless and unprovoked attack by the individuals involved on firefighters who were working to keep the public safe and preserve life. Instead of being left to focus on the job, the firefighters instead had to defend themselves from this group of thugs.

"The safety of our members was compromised and this assault would have delayed efforts to contain the fire. We’re only thankful that no one was in the building at the time and that all our members are expected to recover from their injuries.

"The FBU hopes to see the attackers prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

The incident comes just days after Russ King, secretary of the FBU in Tyne and Wear, warned about the increasing number of attacks on firefighters. Figures from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service show firefighters come under attack once every week.

King said: “The people who perpetrate these attacks must realise, any firefighter or any equipment damaged is going to hinder what the firefighter can do and can have dire consequences in the kind of emergency reaction from us.”

https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2017/04/07/f...sunderland

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Union slams 'deplorable' firefighter attack in Lincolnshire

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has condemned a violent attack on two on-duty firefighters who were threatened with an imitation firearm this week in Lincolnshire as ‘deplorable’.

The incident took place on Monday (10 April) evening on Holyrood Walk in Spalding, as the firefighters tackled a house fire. Both firefighters received medical attention at the scene, with one being taken via ambulance to Pilgrim Hospital in Boston for facial injuries.

Ben Selby, secretary of the FBU in Lincolnshire, said: “Firefighters are there to keep the public safe, preserve life and perform rescues when people are in trouble. The idea that someone could attack firefighters whilst they go about their lifesaving work is appalling.

"Both members are now back at work and responding to emergencies. Although this act is pitiful, it will not stop brave firefighters, like the two attacked in Spalding, from doing their duty and keeping their communities safe.

"The matter is being investigated by the Police and an arrest has been made. The FBU will continue to ensure measures are put in place to see greater support for our members when they find themselves in difficult circumstances like these."

Research published in 2016 showed that in the past two years fire crews in the U.K. have come under attack more than a thousand times.

https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2017/04/13/u...ncolnshire

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Two charged after Spalding firefighters attacked

• 13 April 2017
  

Two men have been charged after two firefighters were attacked while putting out a blaze at a house.

Jason Dodd, 22, of Holyrood Walk, Spalding, Lincolnshire, is charged with three offences including assault and affray.

Simon Harrison, 24, also of Holyrood Walk, is charged with affray.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said two of its members were threatened with a fake firearm on Monday evening while tackling a house fire in Holyrood Walk.

Read more about this and other stories from Lincolnshire

It said both firefighters needed treatment with one taken to hospital in Boston for facial injuries.

Mr Dodd, who is also charged possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and Mr Harrison are due to stand trial at Lincoln Crown Court on 15 May.

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Ayrshire’s top fire officer condemns attacks on firefighters

AYRSHIRE’s fire chief has condemned attacks on his firefighters – and warned it will not be tolerated.

Local Senior Officer James Scott said crews who stand on the frontline to protect people should not be obstructed from carrying out their work.

And he vowed to work with police partners to identify the small minority of those responsible to ensure they face the consequences of their actions.

LSO Scott said: “Our firefighters’ main purpose is to save lives. You can rest assured that they will always be there and standing on the front line to help at times of emergency.

“It therefore frustrating and disappointing when I hear that they have either been physically assaulted or verbally abused when trying to assist their communities.

“This is often down to a very small minority of individuals within those communities.

“I would like to take this opportunity to stress once again – as I have done in the past – that this will not be tolerated because our firefighters do not deserve to be met with such behaviour.

“We will identify those responsible and we will pass that intelligence to our police partners which can result in a variety of consequences such as affecting future employment prospects due to having a criminal record.”

LSO Scott spoke out after one man was last week convicted at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner in the presence of firefighters and removing a smoke detector from a property in Stevenston on December 19, 2016.

The 27-year-old from Springside, Ayrshire was sentenced to 200-hours unpaid work and handed two years supervision.

The Ayrshire fire chief had previously condemned attacks on his firefighters.

On Bonfire Night last year one of his crews was attacked twice in the space of two hours.

Their appliance had been hit by objects thrown from a crowd when they attended an unorganised bonfire at St Margaret’s Road, Ardrossan.

Police had to escort the crew to extinguish the fire.

No injuries were sustained by the firefighters but damage to the appliance was discovered on return to the station.

The same crew was attacked at a similar incident two hours earlier in the town’s New England Road.

Latest stats show a firefighter is attacked in Scotland every three days – in the last six years there have been 590 incidents where staff have been physically or verbally abused or had objects thrown at appliances.

LSO Scott said: “This type of behaviour not only prevents our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion but it can impact on our emergency service colleagues including the police when they have to escort us at the scene.

“This cannot be condoned.

“The communities of Ayrshire are all fantastic and they appreciate greatly the work of the fire service, and we would urge the majority of law abiding residents to alert the police to any such reckless activity.”

He also told how firefighters continue to serve at the very heart of their communities – as role models. They also support the most vulnerable people to stay safe at home.

LSO Scott said: “In Ayrshire we have a number of schemes for young people such as the Fire Reach and Young Firefighters courses as well as numerous Schools Engagement programmes.

“These projects promote home safety, teach vital skills like CPR and promote responsible citizenship.

“We do everything we can to protect communities and that includes our Home Fire Safety Visits where we will visit properties and install or check smoke detectors as well as provide general safety advice to residents.

“All of this therefore begs the question as to why anyone would abuse a firefighter.”

To report such incidents contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively through the anonymous Crimestoppers helpline on 0800 555 111.

http://uknip.co.uk/2017/08/ayrshires-top...efighters/

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Attacks on U.K. Firefighters on Emergency Calls Have Soared

Attacks on firefighters attending 999 calls have soared, new figures have revealed. Crews trying to douse blazes or attending car crashes came under attack 738 times in the year to March or twice a day. It compared to 578 occasions in 2014-15 a rise of 28 per cent. Over the same period, the number of firefighters who suffered injuries at the hands of yobs more than doubled from 24 to 56.

Read more at Daily Mail


Over the same period, the number of firefighters who suffered injuries at the hands of yobs more than doubled from 24 to 56.


Despite trying to save people's lives, fire crews have been pelted with rocks and bricks, had fireworks and coins thrown at them, and in one case a gang hit a female firefighter with a paving stone, forcing her to go off sick for eight weeks.

The statistics, revealed by the Home Office, include 206 instances of crews coming under attack by thugs throwing objects and 44 cases of physical violence.

The remaining incidents cover verbal abuse and harassment, which have been counted together.

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/...oared.html

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Youth throw molotov cocktail at firetruck

A group of young people in Limassol threw a molotov cocktail at a firetruck on Tuesday.

Around 2 am on Tuesday, authorities were notified about an incident of fire in garbage cans in Ypsonas.

When the fire service arrived at the scene, a group of young people threw a molotov cocktail at the firetruck.

They then managed to escape.

No firemen were injured, however the truck sustained damage.

https://in-cyprus.com/news/local/youth-t...firetruck/