A former firefighter turned MLA has hit out after crews were 'forced to withdraw' after coming under attack by youths in Belfast.
Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler said for the second weekend in a row, crews from Cadogan Fire Station on Belfast’s Lisburn Road were targeted.
He called the incidents "senseless and utterly moronic" and called for tougher sentences for those attacking emergency services .
Mr Butler, who served for 16 years in the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Last weekend was the second in a row that rescue appliances from Cadogan Fire Station on Belfast’s Lisburn Road – my old station – have been attacked. It is my understanding that on both occasions the crew were forced to withdraw after the windscreen of the vehicles were smashed.
"These attacks are totally senseless and utterly moronic. I condemn them in the strongest possible terms. Incidents such as these not only endanger the lives of the crew members, but also the communities that they serve.
"From my time in the Fire and Rescue Service I saw repeatedly the importance of crews arriving at the scene of an emergency as quickly as possible. By attacking vehicles and forcing them return to base, these young people are dangerously reducing the emergency response cover available in the area and potentially risking lives as a result.
"I have contacted both the Interim Chief Fire Officer and the Assistant Chief Fire Officer to inquire about the exact details of the attacks, as well as to offer them my total support in anything that they may need to help reduce any future senseless attacks such as these.
"Last year tougher sentences were introduced in England and Wales to offer greater protection to emergency workers under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act. It’s about time that attacks on our emergency workers here were similarly clamped down on.
"Anyone, no matter their age, who attacks a fire engine responding to a call, must be held to account for the gravity and selfishness of their actions. There must be a zero-tolerance approach to incidents such as these."
In a statement, the fire service said: “We can confirm that two Fire Appliances were attacked during incidents on 07/09/2019 and 13/09/2019. In both instances stones were thrown at an Appliance that was responding to reports of a fire in Belfast.
"On 07/09/2019 Firefighters were responding to a report of tyres being burned that turned out to be a false alarm and on 13/09/2019 they were responding to a report of loose refuse being burned.
“In both incidents damage was caused to the windscreens of the responding Fire Appliance. Fortunately no Firefighters were injured in either incident. On 07/09/2019 the Appliance was still operational after being attacked, however after the incident on 13/09/2019 the Appliance had to be temporarily replaced while the windscreen was repaired.
"Emergency cover in the area was not affected.
“Our Firefighters work tirelessly for the community which they serve in order to save life and protect property. We would appeal to everyone not to threaten or attack Fire Crews responding to call outs in their local areas.
"The job of a Firefighter is more than dangerous enough without the possibility of being attacked. We work closely with local communities and I would call on everyone to condemn these attacks and to continue working with us to prevent them happening again.”
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