'Plague' of attacks on fire crews

Some attacks on fire crews are a "recreational activity", it is claimed

Attacks on firefighters in Wales rose last year and the true figure could be many times higher, it has been claimed.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said official figures recorded 66 attacks, up from 56 the year before, in what it called a "plague on our society".

Crews were pelted with bricks and bottles and there were ambushes and booby traps.

The Welsh Assembly Government said it was concerned and was waiting for a report to get an accurate picture.

The FBU called the attacks a "plague on our society" and said other incidents of intimidation and threats were so frequent they were not being reported.

"These attacks are a major cause of concern for firefighters in Wales," said Wales FBU regional secretary Grant Mayos.

"It is almost beyond belief that fire crews are attacked and abused while fighting fires and trying to save lives.

Understanding why attacks happen is not to condone or accept them as part of the job, but to help us address the problem Grant Mayos, Fire Brigades Union

"Yet in some areas attacking fire crews has become a recreational activity with very serious consequences.

According to the FBU, the number of attacks on firefighters in Scotland fell last year, which the union said could be attributed to national strategies put in place with support from the Scottish Government.

The FBU gathered its information in an independent report conducted by the Labour Research Department.

The report also found that some fire services had well developed policies for tackling violence, but the union said this was "patchy", and often fire crews who were assaulted and injured were treated in the same way as any other sickness absence.

ATTACKS IN WALES: North Wales - rose from nine to 15 Mid and West - from four to 12 South Wales down from 43 to 39 Source: Figures from 2005-2006 to 2006-2007. FBU/Freedom of Information Act

Mr Mayos added: "Frustration, boredom, alcohol and drug use can all fuel the problems of youngsters living in communities and on estates they feel are on the margins of society.

"The outcome can be recreational violence aimed at whatever represents the wider society these youngsters on these estates feel excluded from.

"The highest numbers of attacks are in areas characterised by poor housing, poverty and few or no facilities for young people.

"Understanding why attacks happen is not to condone or accept them as part of the job, but to help us address the problem.

"Most fire authorities are struggling to deal with the problem and good practice does exist but it is patchy. "

Mr Mayos said the union had called on Local Government Minister Brian Gibbons to "assist both financially and morally in the fight against this plague on our society".

Dr Gibbons recently met fire chiefs, and an assembly government spokesperson said: "We are now awaiting the report of the fire service in Wales before deciding on how best to deal with this.

"We are aware that there is a discrepancy between the official figures and the number of attacks reported," he added.

"it is clearly important for the assembly government and fire service staff to work together to ensure all incidents are reported and recorded correctly to ensure we have an accurate picture of the situation."

The union said a national strategy should include conflict resolution training, public awareness campaigns and no further extension of CCTV on fire service vehicles until their effectiveness could be assessed.