A Northern Ireland fire chief has warned that the lives of firefighters and the public are being put at serious risk after a spate of attacks on fire crews in Belfast, Newtownards, Co Down, and Lurgan, Co Armagh.
In an eight-hour period through Sunday night into early yesterday morning, there were five such attacks on fire crews responding to emergency call-outs. The firefighters were attacked with stones and other missiles in east and west Belfast, Lurgan and Newtownards.
One fire engine was damaged in the attack while one officer was struck on the arm by a stone, but escaped serious injury.
Such incidents are a regular feature of the lives of Northern Ireland fire crews and ambulance workers who, especially at weekends, are targeted by vandals.
Senior fire officer Graham Crossett complained that these attacks were continuing despite a campaign to stop them. He said it was pure luck that nobody was seriously injured in the most recent attacks.
"This is just madness," he added. "The lives of firefighters and the public are being put at risk."
The attacks happened as the fire and ambulance services, the PSNI and BT joined forces to launch a campaign against the growing incidence of hoax call outs of the emergency services.
The services believe that the main culprits are in the nine to 14- year-old age group who, especially at school holiday time, make fake 999 calls.
Last Easter the fire brigade received more than 700 hoax calls, a 20 per increase over the same period in 2003.
With the text-style message "We Know Who U R", the services are warning that they will be extra vigilant in tracking people who make such calls.
