North East firefighters bracing themselves for abusive Bonfire Night
Crews from County Durham, Darlington, and Cleveland will be out tonight
Firefighters in the North East and Teesside are bracing themselves for potential abuse and violence as they respond to call-outs on Bonfire Night.
Crew members from County Durham and Darlington Fire (CDDFRS) and Rescue Service and Cleveland Fire Brigade will be wearing body cams and working with police if needs be.
For CDDFRS, four teams had lit fireworks directed at them last year and two fire engines were damaged after a brick and other missiles were thrown at them. No-one was injured though.
CDDFRS Group Manager, Jon Singleton, said: “No one goes to work to be assaulted.
“It’s especially disgusting to attack the very people in our community whose job it is to keep people safe.
“One of our fire engines was so badly damaged that it needed to be taken off the run.
“In the event of a fire, a few minutes difference in arrival time can mean everything and incidents like this could have a real impact on us reaching the people who genuinely need us most.”
Firefighters will continue to wear body worn cameras when attending incidents so that they can capture footage which may support any prosecutions if they are attacked on duty.
CCTV is also installed on every fire engine.
Meanwhile, Durham Constabulary police officers and police community support officers will also be based at fire stations across the Service on several action evenings over the bonfire period.
Officers will accompany firefighters to incidents to provide on-the-ground support in an effort to reduce fire-related incidents and anti-social behaviour.
Jon added: “I implore parents and carers to continue to speak to young people in their households about the dangers and consequences of this type of behaviour.
“Remind them to think before they throw.
“Not only could someone caught throwing a firework or other missile at an emergency service vehicle or first responder risk serious police action, but they risk seriously injuring the person behind the uniform.
“They’re someone’s parent, sibling, friend – treat them how you would want your loved ones to be treated.
“Think before you throw.”
For Cleveland Fire Brigade, Richie Brown, head of prevention and engagement, said: "Unfortunately violence to staff is an all-year round occurrence but we definitely see an escalation of it over the Bonfire period. We class violence to staff as both physical and verbal abuse as well, so this can range from things like missiles being thrown towards our staff and also when our appliances are dealing with incidents, we get verbal threats of violence as well.
"Unfortunately out there in society there's a mistrust of authority in some areas. Peer pressure and anti-social behaviour plays a part as well and also does alcohol and substance abuse, but the main message is that fire services are here to help keep you and your community safe and behind every uniform there's a person like them with a family who has loved ones at home.
"Violence doesn't just hurt us but it also can delay our response to emergencies which then puts the public at risk and we respect you as members of the public that need us, but please respect us as emergency services who are just trying to help you.
"Always attend an organised display which are advertised as that can provide a good and safe environment for the public."
Firework safety
CDDFRS Group Manager Jon Singleton said: “The safest way to keep your loved ones safe as you celebrate Bonfire Night is to attend an organised fireworks display and avoid building bonfires.
“However, if you do decide to have fireworks at home, we urge you to follow the safety advice in The Firework Code.
“We cannot stress enough how important it is that only an adult handles fireworks, that they avoid alcohol while doing so and that they ensure the fireworks are bought from a licenced retailer.
“And remember, always wear gloves if using sparklers and never give them to children under five years old.
“We also urge people not to have a bonfire in their backyard as these often do not have proper safety measures in place and can contain hazardous items, making them extremely dangerous.
“They are also an environmental hazard and can be very disruptive and distressing for your neighbours.
“However, if you do have a bonfire, make sure it is away from sheds, fences and trees and keep a bucket of water or a garden hose nearby. More safety information can be found on our website ddfire.gov.uk.”
Darlington Borough Council and Durham County Council are also warning residents against building unauthorised bonfires on public land and urged people to report any they see to their local council.
Owen Cleugh, Durham County Council’s Safer Places Manager, said: “Unauthorised fireworks displays and bonfires result in hundreds of nuisance incidents for the fire service, and can potentially take resources away from communities that are in need of it more.
“Organised fireworks displays are the safest way to enjoy bonfire night, and we would urge people to attend these instead.
“If residents are planning to buy fireworks for their own display, please buy them from a licenced seller and follow all safety precautions, particularly when storing the fireworks before use and paying particular attention to the safe separation distance when setting them off.
“Help us keep people safe by reporting any unauthorised bonfires being built so we can work with the landowners and take steps to dismantle them rapidly.
“To report an unauthorised bonfire in County Durham and for details on fire safety and the law, visit www.durham.gov.uk/fireworksafety.
“For organised displays across the county visit: Fireworks displays - Durham County Council."
The Firework Code
• Only buy fireworks from licenced retailers and ensure they have the CE or UKCA mark on the box.
• Only an adult should buy and handle fireworks.
• Fireworks should be kept in a closed box and away from children and pets.
• An adult should carefully read and follow the instructions for lighting fireworks.
• Fireworks should be lit one at a time and at an arm's length.
• Always stand well back after lighting fireworks.
• Never go back to a lit firework.
• Never throw fireworks or put them in your pocket.
• Keep pets indoors and supervise children around fireworks.
Disposing of fireworks safely
• After your firework has gone off, leave it for 30 minutes and then place it in a bucket of water for 24 hours.
• Then put the wet firework in a plastic bin bag, tie the bag closed and put it in the appropriate bin.