NI campaign to stop attacks on emergency crews

A major campaign to stop the continuing scourge of attacks on the emergency services in Northern Ireland was launched today.

The Northern Ireland Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service joined forces to campaign to stop the attacks on their crews while answering 999 calls.

So far this year the Fire Service has recorded 315 attacks on crews and 153 attacks on the Ambulance Service.

Despite Northern Ireland having a relatively calm year on the streets, the level of attacks is little down on last year when it was 410 and 122 respectively for the whole year.

The North's Department of Health and Social Services is supporting the campaign with £400,000 (€570,000) in funding.

It will include television advertisements followed by newspaper and billboard adverts.

Early in the new year an education programme for both primary and secondary schools will be rolled out.

Launching the drive, the North's health minister Angela Smith said: “I hope that this campaign will shock people into understanding the full implications that attacks on emergency staff can have.

“I want it to become a talking point for people. These attacks should be viewed unanimously as unacceptable and I want them to stop immediately.”

TV adverts – starting today – feature fire and ambulance crews coming to each other’s aid following attacks on them.

They reinforce the message that in an emergency every second is vital, with time lost due to attacks on crews putting people already in danger further at risk.

Ms Smith said: “It is appropriate that this campaign is launched one week before Christmas – a busy period for the emergency services, a period when crews on duty are unable to spend time with friends and family.”

She urged the public to allow the vital services to carry on performing their life-saving roles without the “constant fear of mindless assault”.