Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) - Experts & Thought Leaders

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has reported nine attacks during eight hours. The attacks happened in Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Blantyre in South Lanarkshire, and Blackburn in West Lothian, in the United Kingdom (UK). bonfire night There were no injuries reported to the crews involved however a fire appliance in West Lothian had a windscreen smashed by a brick and had to be removed from operational service. These attacks have followed four previously reported attacks on crews in Ayrshire and Edinburgh in the week leading up to Bonfire Night. As were two further attacks over the weekend in Troon and Glasgow. This totals 15 attacks on firefighters over one week. attacks on firefighters Andy Watt, Assistant Chief Officer for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said, "Attacks on our firefighters are completely unacceptable." He adds, “Our staff should be able to carry out their role without being attacked. It is disappointing that people have tried to hurt firefighters and have damaged our appliances." thanking emergency service partners Andy Watt continues, "This type of behavior not only prevents our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion, but it can impact our emergency service colleagues, including the police when they are supporting us on the scene to ensure the safety of our personnel." He further stated, “We thank our emergency service partners Police Scotland for their continued assistance and we will continue to work in partnership with them to identify those responsible. This type of behavior is, of course, carried out by a small minority within society and we once again thank our communities for their continuing support and working together with us to stay safe.” Dangers of fireworks and unsafe bonfires SFRS received more than 892 calls from the public and Operations Control mobilised firefighters SFRS received more than 892 calls from the public and Operations Control mobilised firefighters to approximately 355 bonfires across the country between 3.30 pm and 12 Midnight on Sunday, 5 November.  In the run-up to the event, the SFRS appealed to the public to be aware of the dangers of both fireworks and unsafe bonfires with a message to consider the impact of their actions on communities and emergency services. ACO Watt added, “Bonfire Night is traditionally one of our busiest nights of the year." protecting communities Andy Watt continues, “We put a huge amount of planning and preparation into this evening with local partners and other emergency services to protect communities, which is always our top priority." He stated, "I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism and resilience of our frontline personnel, our Operations Control staff, and our support staff who have shown incredible commitment over this busy period. Their dedication has allowed us to continue to protect communities throughout Scotland on Bonfire Night."

Crews have been bombarded with fireworks, bricks and bottles after being mobilized to tackle a series of outdoor fires. This included twice on Monday night at Ardrossan in North Ayrshire followed by two further attacks in the Southhouse and Sighthill areas of Edinburgh on Halloween. Crews had to request the assistance of Police Scotland to provide an escort to enable them to attend and extinguish the fires. There were no injuries reported to the crews involved however a number of fire appliances sustained damage and, in one instance, an appliance had to be removed from operational availability. Emergency service resources Deputy Assistant Chief Officer (DACO) Garry Mackay has branded this behavior as “unacceptable” and warned SFRS will take a zero-tolerance approach on attacks on staff. He said: “The Bonfire period is one the busiest spells for our staff and our emergency service partners, who work tirelessly to keep people safe. They should be able to carry out their role without being hurt or having appliances and equipment damaged by reckless anti-social behavior. These actions are also an unnecessary drain on emergency service resources. We want to bring any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion – please respect our staff and all emergency services.” Station Commander Paul Timmons was part of the crew mobilized to an outdoor fire in Ardrossan on Monday night when they came under attack. He said: “A number of objects were being thrown at us by a group of people and something struck the roof of the appliance. This behavior prevents us from doing our job. We shouldn’t be treated this way – it is unsafe and someone could be seriously hurt,” Paul TimmonsStation Commander. Series of attacks on Bonfire Series of attacks on Bonfire Night last year when crews came under fire while responding incident This follows a series of attacks on Bonfire Night last year when crews came under fire while responding to an incident in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh. Watch Commander Daniel Johnston was part of the crew from Newcraighall Community Fire Station who came under attack. He said: “Fireworks were being set off all around and there was a lot of smoke haze. People were riding on electric motorcycles in front of the appliance. An object struck the rear window of the appliance which caused it to smash and alarmed the firefighter who was sitting next to the window. It was a threatening scene to drive through. The crews were intimidated by the number of people around who were shouting. We didn’t feel safe and people in the local community were scared in their homes.” Risk and consequences Crimestoppers launched a campaign to raise awareness to help keep Scotland’s emergency Last week Crimestoppers launched a campaign to raise awareness to help keep Scotland’s emergency services safe. DACO Mackay added: “We know this is a small minority of people but any attack on the emergency services is completely unacceptable. Together with our Police Scotland partners, we will work to identify those responsible." “Additionally, we also continue to ask parents, guardians and carers to help by making sure that children and young people are aware of the risks and consequences of engaging in such acts. Our priority is to keep our firefighters and our communities safe, and we urge the public to help us as we approach Bonfire Night.” Use of fireworks or pyrotechnics Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Our fire, police, and ambulance crews put themselves in harm’s way to keep communities safe and it is utterly despicable that they should be subjected to any abuse or attacks at any time, not least when they are protecting people. To help crack down on such behavior, the Scottish Government’s Fireworks and Pyrotechnics’ Act ensures that courts are required to take into consideration the use of fireworks or pyrotechnics as a possible aggravating factor in any attack on 999 crews." "I fully support a zero-tolerance approach on this and I fully support the courts in taking such offenses into account when sentencing offenders. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our emergency crews who will be working hard this weekend to help to ensure we can all enjoy Bonfire Night safely.”

Deliberate fire-setting in Scotland has reduced by more than a third in the period heading up to Bonfire Night. This is always the busiest time of the year for the emergency services in Scotland, which typically witnesses a spike in anti-social behavior. deliberate fire reduction However, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) figures show that since 2018, the number of deliberate fires in the three weeks before 5 November has fallen from 1,302 to 907 – a reduction of 35%.  This also includes reductions of around 40% in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, 53% across East, North, and South Ayrshire, and 25% in the Falkirk and West Lothian areas. These incidents are largely made up of outdoor incidents impacting refuse and woodland, but also involved hundreds of building and vehicle fires. sustained prevention efforts SFRS Head of Prevention and Protection welcomes this reduction as a clear impact of school visits Deputy Assistant Chief Officer (DACO) - Iain Macleod, SFRS Head of Prevention and Protection, welcomes this reduction as a clear impact of sustained prevention efforts, such as school visits.  He said, “We do so much more than simply responding to fires and prevention is always a key pillar of our work. Every year at this time of year our crews are mobilized to deal with deliberately set bonfires and to help people injured by the careless use of fireworks – particularly children and young people." Educating on the dangers of deliberate fire-setting Iain Macleod adds, “But we always want to prevent fires, accidents, or injuries from occurring in the first place. In the build-up to the Bonfire Night period, we work tirelessly to engage directly with schools and community groups to educate our young people on the dangers of deliberate fire-setting, bonfires, and fireworks." He continues, “We welcome any fall in this type of activity as this reduces the risk to the wider community and the impact this type of behavior can have on our firefighters.”  delivering safety presentations Young people are advised about how to prevent injuries and what to do in the event of an emergency Every year, Scotland’s firefighters and community safety teams visit hundreds of primary and secondary schools to deliver safety presentations and remind pupils of the risks and dangers of bonfires and fireworks.  In 2022, SFRS visited more than 600 schools across the country and reached more than 8,000 young people between the ages of 10 and 14 – and this year is no different. Young people are advised about how to prevent injuries and what to do in the event of an emergency, as well as useful information about the laws around using fireworks in Scotland.  Safe enjoyment DACO Macleod has also reminded people of the risks of hosting events at home. Research by the Care of Burns in Scotland (COBIS) reports that the majority of incidents and injuries around the Bonfire Night period occur at private properties.   He said, “We want people to enjoy themselves however this must be done safely and responsibly. Our message is clear – leave fireworks to the professionals and attend an organized event where possible." Follow fireworks Code Iain Macleod adds, "If anyone is thinking about hosting a private event involving flame or fireworks, please ensure you are aware of the laws around the use of fireworks and always follow the Fireworks Code to keep everyone safe.”  David McGill, Lead Clinician for the Care of Burns in Scotland (COBIS) network and Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Scotland’s Burn Hub, said, “Unfortunately we see a rise in burn injuries around Bonfire Night, in both adults and children. We carry out an annual audit of firework injuries across Scotland, and last year there were 41 injuries recorded over the four weeks around Guy Fawkes night." care around fireworks David McGill adds, “The majority of these occurred at private properties. Injuries reported ranged from minor, such as burns to the fingers, to severe including loss of fingers and complex eye injuries with loss of vision." He continues, “Children are frequently burned with sparklers. There's a misunderstanding of how hot they can get. They can cause severe burns to fingers and hands, or catch clothing alight. Sparklers should never be given to children under the age of five. Great care should be taken around fireworks, especially when children are near. To minimize the risks to you and your family, a publicly arranged event would be by far the safest way to view fireworks.”