Firefighter in hospital after attack on call-out
Political Correspondent A FIREFIGHER was taken to hospital after a crew was attacked attending a call-out in a Glasgow street.
The fire crew was forced to pull out quickly after putting put a bin fire in Lenzie Terrace, Springburn on Saturday night.
One of the firefighters suffered minor injuries and was taken to the Royal Infirmary for treatment before being released.
After a second call was made of another bin fire in the street minutes later, a separate crew attended with a police escort.
Fire brigade bosses have condemned the attack.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay said: “These firefighters are your father, mother, brother or sister – someone’s family. It beggars belief when I hear that they have either been physically assaulted or verbally abused when trying to assist their communities.
“Attacks on emergency responders are completely unacceptable and I am sure the public would be outraged by incidents where their firefighters have been targeted.
“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.”
The attack came as new figures showed assaults on emergency service workers have reached a three-year high.
A total of 6,509 common assaults were recorded on police, fire and ambulance workers across Scotland in 2016/17.
That is an increase on the previous year’s total of 6,414.
The Scottish Government said attacks on staff must not be tolerated.
A spokesman said: “The Emergency Workers Act includes a penalty of up to 12 months imprisonment, a £10,000 fine, or both and we have extended the act to include GPs and doctors, nurses and midwives working in the community.
“All workers deserve protec- tion from abuse and violence at work.”
The figure were obtained by the Conservatives who said safety must be paramount.
Justice spokesman Liam Kerr, said: “It’s extremely worrying that the number of attacks recorded by police on emergency service workers has risen to a three-year high. We have to get tough on those who commit these offences.”