Service is under fire from yobs

At at a time when our firefighters need all the support they can get, they find themselves once again on the receiving end of violence.

We said yesterday that the service, forced into corner on funding cuts, was caught between a rock and hard place.

For the emergency service personnel on the front line this Bonfire Night, it was just rocks ... being hurled as missiles, along with bricks and bottles!

Those who think there’s no connection between the yobs hurling missiles at firefighters and the funding cuts endured by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority, should think again.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, had warned ahead of these November 5 attacks that cuts were behind the increase in assaults on firefighters.

Attacks on firefighters in the UK have soared by a quarter at a time when projects aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour have been cut.

“Cuts by this government have led to the demolition of community engagement projects,” said Mr Wrack, “which are proven to reduce anti-social behaviour.”

The law has been tightened to make the punishments for people caught attacking emergency personnel greater, and while the tougher stance is welcomed, this is treating the symptom, not the cause.

Our fire service needs more funding not less.

Instead, it finds itself trying to save more than £3m and, despite the obvious pressures being brought to bear, even forced to consider losing 70 firefighting jobs!

The shameful scenes in Southwick will only get worse unless the support our firefighters need is forthcoming.