They are our heroes, so why attack them?

Feb 12 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

The Journal yesterday reported the alarming rise in attacks on fire crews in the North East. Dan Warburton looks at the psychological triggers behind the abuse.

FIREFIGHTERS are among the most respected people in modern society, risking their lives to protect the public.

But crews from across the region are increasingly being hit with tirades of abuse from teenage gangs.

In an alarming report published yesterday by the Fire Brigades Union, it emerged that attacks on North East fire services have soared by 82% in one year.

Dr Joan Harvey, a senior lecturer in psychology at Newcastle University, believes the attacks are the result of a “tribal” mentality.

She said: “It’s almost teenage tribal behaviour. Through their upbringing they start to get in groups, and then you start to get group pressure and it becomes almost tribal. They start to have a go and they are clearly people who are outside their parental control. They are almost feral.

“They have no understanding of how to control their own aggression. They do not know their limits. They do not have a strong understanding of what is good and bad.”

The FBU yesterday reported that crew members were being threatened, intimidated, abused and pelted with bricks, bottles and petrol bombs.

Hoax calls luring crews into ambushes and booby traps were also among the other acts of violence as well as attacks with knives and lumps of wood.

And top union representatives yesterday cited “frustration, boredom, alcohol and drug use” for fuelling the problem among youngsters. But Northumbria University’s Dr Lee Barron, who lectures in sociology, believes that the attacks are a last stand against figures of authority.

He said: “It’s an issue of responsibility and peer pressure. Kids might not be doing so well at school and they compensate for that in their own ways.

“They try to do things that are quite outrageous. And this isn’t just a male phenomenon. Females are often forgotten.”

Dr Barron suggested that it was also a case of authority-bashing. “Anything which is rooted in any type of authority is a target for abuse,” he added. “If you are not doing well at school and you are being criticised by officials and authorities, then you establish that culture of friction with authorities.”

Crews from the Tyne and Wear Fire Service experienced the biggest percentage increase of attacks between 2006 and 2007 – almost trebling from 39 incidents to 108.

During the months between October and December – the period in which Bonfire Night lies – the number of reported attacks soared to 40. In that time firefighters were pelted with objects on 25 occasions, were subjected to seven verbal attacks, and experienced two counts of harassment. On three occasions, members of the public threatened to damage fire engines.

Dr Harvey believes personal responsibility needs to be instilled in teenage rebels.

She said: “One has to think what you can do with these people. We have a legal system that is not conducive to these offences. If they are young, then what do you do? Give them an Asbo? They just wear those like badges.

“From a practical point of view, to prevent these attacks, all you can do is send police along with the firemen on their jobs. That’s not going to help if the fire fighters are in fear for their own lives, so what else can be done?

“The attackers need to have personal responsibility for their own lives.”

The union has requested fully trained and fast police response to assist them when they come under attack, but it is thought there needs to be a shift in culture.

Dr Barron said: “It’s not just about learning, it’s learning about values.”

A spokesman for Tyne and Wear Brigade last night reiterated the need to protect staff.

Chris Lowther, area manager, said: “We take any verbal or physical attack against our staff very seriously.

“It is totally unacceptable and distracts us from our main role of keeping the public safe and protecting them in emergencies.

“We will press for prosecution of anyone who attacks our staff and the introduction of swab kits and CCTV will improve our ability to bring the offenders to account.”