A firefighter is going to end up maimed or dead before action is taken to curb the problem of unprovoked attacks on members of the emergency services, it has been claimed. This followed another weekend of violence against fire crews in Dublin and Cork.
Mark Hogan, a firefighter in his 20s stationed on the D-watch at Dublin Fire Brigade's HQ on Townsend Street, was head-butted on Aston Quay on Sunday as he was responding to a call that a person had jumped into the River Liffey.
In Cork, a crew member was hit on the head with a bottle last Friday as he attended the scene of a bonfire in Grange, Douglas.
Brian Murray, chairman of the National Firefighters Committee, says attacks on crew members are not a new phenomenon but that the incidents are becoming increasingly savage.
He expressed disappointment that a recent review of health and safety issues for firefighters did not prioritise attacks on them as a significant concern. Mr Murray said it was unacceptable that firefighters were not compensated for attacks in the same way as gardaí.
He said the problem was not confined to Dublin. "There could be a fatal attack on a firefighter anywhere in the country. The attacks are getting more savage as the years go by."
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell yesterday called on the public to help gardaí identify people who attack fire and emergency service workers.
Mr McDowell said he "deeply condemned" Sunday night's head-butting on Aston Quay and an earlier attack on a firefighters in Fairview.
"There are many people out in the community who know who the people are who are attacking emergency service workers," Mr McDowell said.
He said it was the duty of every citizen "not just to prattle on about his or her rights but to help the gardaí and to come forward with the information".
The new Criminal Justice Bill, which gives new protections for members of the emergency services, should be passed into law before the Dáil's summer recess, Mr McDowell added.
The National Firefighters Committee says up to 250 of its members are attacked every year.
Fire crews are now looking at the possibility of issuing crews with stab vests following a spate of vicious attacks in recent months.
The latest attack was the second serious incident involving Dublin fire crews in recent weeks. Jonathan Forbes had to have 35 stitches in his face earlier this month after a man threw an unopened bottle of beer at him.
Meanwhile, Noel Heaney of the Cork Branch of the National Firefighters Committee said Government intervention was needed to cut down on the number of attacks on emergency crews by mindless youths who congregated in packs in housing estates.
Labour TD Joe Costello yesterday called on the Government to afford firefighters and other emergency services personnel the same protection from assault as the Garda.