Attacks on North East fire-fighters doubles in one year

Exclusive figures released to Metro Radio reveal attacks on our fighters have DOUBLED in just one year.

50 assaults were recorded by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue last year... including BRICKS thrown at crew members while they've attended emergency incidents.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer - Alan Robson (pictured) - told us one firefighter was put in hospital recently;

*“Confronted by somebody who’s irate, and unfortunately one of our fire fighters – during that incident – was punched in the face.

“He was injured enough to have to be taken to hospital and went off duty after that, so fire fighters are routinely turning up to work and being subject to this level of abuse.

“That’s starting to have both a psychological and physical effect on our fire fighters,*

“*You can imagine going home with that at the end of the day or even coming into work with the anticipation that you’re going to get this kind of abuse, it’s not a good situation. It is intolerable.

“Things like bricks, stones, bottles which have been thrown at firefighters,

“Firefighters turn up to put out smaller fires which are started by, generally, gangs of youths or groups of youths,

“They turn up to put those fires out then they’re having these objects, missiles, thrown at them while they’re doing that.”*

The service tells us they are planning to bring in body cameras on their fire fighters in order to catch and deal with the culprits.