Emergency crews ‘under attack on streets’

MORE than eight out of 10 ambulance medics and firefighters have experienced physical violence, according to a confidential survey.

Nine out of 10 have been threatened with physical violence and have experienced aggression from others.

The figures back up reports by ambulance crews and fire brigades of an increasingly violent and dangerous working environment on the streets.

“We welcome anything that highlights the working environment of our members. We are at the coalface of an increasingly violent society,” said Tony McDonnell, SIPTU convener of the Fire Brigade.

The internal survey was conducted by the Fire Brigade Department within Dublin City Council late last year and only recently compiled. In Dublin, the fire brigade also operates the emergency ambulance service.

The department is now drawing up a strategy to deal with the problem. This includes a policy of actively pursuing people in the courts who attack or injure officers in the course of their duty.

“The message needs to go out that if people attack firemen or ambulance crew they will not get away with it. They will be pursued with the full rigour of the law,” said Brian Power, assistance chief fire officer with the Dublin Fire Brigade.

“It will involve taking civil cases, which can be difficult. But we’ve got to do that and our people need to know they will get that support.”

Mr Power said it was no longer acceptable that firemen and ambulance crews had to put up with violence, physical or verbal.

“People won’t tolerate a job where they go home at the end of night having been abused. It’s not acceptable any more. In the past, people thought it went with the job. As employers we accept that.

“We’re looking to manage the issue, proactively, rather than reacting.”

He pointed out that the survey figures did not tally with official department figures.

“Our own stats don’t back that up. So it’s a reflection things are not being reported,” he added. He said the department was modifying internal reporting forms to allow for a more comprehensive system.

Mr Power said they had hired a personal safety training agency to train officers on how to recognise and deal with potentially violent situations. There is also a counselling service available for injured workers.

He said they intended to work with local communities, where attacks are most common, and gardaí to try and combat the problem.

Last week, three firemen were pelted with stones by a gang of youths when they went to put out a fire in the Ballymun flat complex in north Dublin. No one was seriously injured.