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james73

Fire chief hits out as thugs attack crews

A FIREFIGHTERS' chief today slated thugs who attacked 999 crews as they
fought a blaze at a disused Glasgow school.

Around 20 firefighters from Springburn, Easterhouse and Parkhead were
fighting the flames at the former Littlehill Primary in Craighead Avenue,
Blackhill, when they came under attack.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said a vehicle was damaged as youths threw
stones.

Incident commander Garry Milne described the attack as "mindless
physical and verbal abuse".

Crews were also affected by poor water supply and had to run hoses from
nearby Provanmill Road.

But they managed to prevent the flames spreading to the nearby Molendinar
Family Learning Centre, where several community projects are based,
including a nursery.

The fire broke out around 6.45pm yesterday and this morning firefighters
were still damping down what was left of the building.

Smoke was still visible through the mangled roof space and it is now likely
the building will be demolished.

It has been empty for more than a year, although the local community
council hoped it could be re-opened for projects and workshops.

James H
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Hugo Drax · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject:

Easily solved, declare it a no go area and let the feckers burn!
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Stuball · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:06 am Post subject:

I'd turn the hoses on the wee wankers.... but then the everyday heroes will get done
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Doorstop · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:04 am Post subject:

This is a far more commonplace occurrence than a lot of people realise.

My younger brother is a fireman serving the community from the Cowcaddens Station and the stories I have heard about the sort of abuse himself and his colleagues suffer when attending fires quite frankly beggars belief.

Threatened with violence, violence actually meted upon them, pelted with stones and bricks etc, hoses cut whilst fighting fires, equipment (axes, hooligan bars etc) stolen from the wagon and the list goes on.

It has gotten so bad, in fact, that most watches now designate firefighters to keep guard on the equipment and any 'spectators' to ensure this kind of deleterious activity doesn't occur during a shout.

This, of course, takes the firefighters in question away from their primary duties which, as we all know, are saving lives.

The element of our 'yoof culture' who take part in the disruption aren't going to be re-educated by school visits by dedicated firefighters attempting to point out the folly and danger of their actions, they are beyond that particular avenue of intervention, they require strict and draconian measures under the law to ram the message home.

At present almost all of the nefarious practices carried out against on duty firemen are included under the auspices of public order offences which equate to 'breach of the peace' or 'common assault', the punishments for which are woefully inadequate for the outrageous behaviour our Fire Fighters have to contend with.

I think society, as a whole, needs to demand a higher tariff of punishment for any crime carried out upon any members of our emergency services before this particular teenage 'pastime' begins to abate.

[/ angry rant]

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james73 · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:09 pm Post subject:

Fire crews face 'constant' attack (BBC)

The constant threat of attack is stopping firefighters from doing their jobs,
they have warned.

The claims came after several crew members were pelted with bricks
while answering a call in west Scotland.

They came under attack while trying to put out a rubbish fire in
Dumbarton in the early hours of Tuesday.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service Commander Ian Ramage said it was
disappointing that crews were not safe from "mindless thugs".

Youths hurled bricks at the five firefighters as they tackled the blaze, on
Dumbarton's Hill Street, at 0440 BST.

The crew was forced to stop work while police back-up arrived, although
no arrests were made.

Mr Ramage said: "As an experienced fire officer with 28 years' service,
and also being a parent myself, I find it quite unbelievable that parents
would allow their children to be out at this time of the morning."

He said the problem was keeping firefighters from doing their jobs,
adding: "Crews still have to face constant threats of physical or verbal
abuse whilst attempting to protect life and property from the effects of
fire."

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject:

Lives at risk in blaze as vandals hit water supply (Evening Times)

DOZENS of lives were put at risk by a massive blaze after vandals targeted
vital water supplies.

Firefighters were delayed in tackling the inferno on the 10th floor of a
Glasgow tower block after several dry-riser outlets were vandalised.

Today their actions in Pinkston Drive, Sighthill, were condemned by fire
chiefs.

Almost 50 emergency calls were made by frantic residents after fire
broke out shortly before 9pm last night.

It was initially feared people were trapped inside the building and at the
height of the blaze around 25 firefighters were at the scene.

When crews arrived they tried to establish a link at the dry-riser on the
eighth floor but it had been damaged. They found a similar situation on
the seventh and ninth floors and were forced to run a hose from the
fourth floor.

A Strathclyde Fire & Rescue spokesman said: "These actions caused the
delay in firefighting which could have had serious consequences, leaving
either our crews or residents injured."

A probe is being carried out today at the flat where the blaze broke out.
It's been cordoned off and a police officer is standing guard.

One resident said: "I live three floors above the fire and was worried for
myself and my two children.

"Our flat is very smoky this morning and we are trying to keep the
windows open to get rid of the smell.

"We weren't evacuated last night but it is frightening to hear this morning
that the dry-risers had been vandalised."

One man, who lives on the 19th floor of a neighbouring block, said: "It is
a real problem if there is a fire and you live on the floors above it.

"What on earth would you do? It's not as if you could exactly just jump out."

The fire broke out just yards from blocks of flats which were recently
demolished and near a popular social club which was recently destroyed
by fire.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...