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Violence/Aggression Against Crews
Do you experience violence or aggression when attending calls? Here in Dublin, Ireland it is a regular occurrence in certain areas of the city. Sometimes they will set a car fire just to lure us in and then throw stones & bottles at the crew. Mindless I know - but it has caused numerous injuries to our firefighters. One recently had to get over 40 stitches to his face and was badly scarred.
We record these incidents within our accident reporting system and have CISM in place also to help if required. How does your department deal with the issue?
We record these incidents within our accident reporting system and have CISM in place also to help if required. How does your department deal with the issue?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Peter Barriscale on
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Thanks everyone for all your interesting and hair-raising accounts of your experiences - we can all learn from each other's experiences. What I really need for my research is more contacts for data / statistics and policies / procedures in your departments.
I would be very grateful for a website and/or email address where I can access such information.
Many thanks,
Peter.
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Permalink Reply by larry jenkins on
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Peter, When I get back to work tomorrow I'll send a copy of our procedures.
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Many thanks Larry.
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Permalink Reply by ashfire on
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I know of a incident that happened years ago in Wash, DC. A ambulance crew picked up a gunshot patient and took them to the closest hospital. Well they were followed by the ones that shot the patient. When the ambulance pulled into the cover area of the ER doors a goon ran up and said thats my friend in there jumped up inside and pulled a gun and unloaded it inside the unit on the patient and just wounding the medic.
That hospital closed its doors a few years after that and became a nursing center. There is a larger hospital just a couple of miles away to cover the area. For us it was a backup if the other was closed to ambulances.
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Here is a copy of our SOP concerning HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT:
PURPOSE:
To provide a system for operating in hostile surroundings.
I. PREFACE
Civil disturbances are dangerous and unpredictable occurrences requiring special Fire and Rescue Department preparation and operations. Hostile Environment Task Forces (HETF) shall be used in the event of a riot, terrorist incident, jail/correctional facility event, or other civil disturbance, i.e., large-scale gang activity. The following procedures shall be followed to ensure the maximum safety of personnel and effective incident command.
II. PREPARATION
A. When placed on alert or requested to assist another jurisdiction, a meeting point in the county shall be established to facilitate the task force's response as a group.
B. Establish an incident command system (ICS) organizational structure that provides appropriate levels of supervision, i.e., division/group supervisors, task force leaders, etc.
C. Preplan a method of disabling the vehicle’s engine and the radio.
III. OPERATIONS
A. Identify a safe staging area where single resources can be combined to form task forces or strike teams.
B. Quickly brief all supervisors on the situation, hazards, communications, safety concerns, and concept of operations.
C. Coordinate security/force protection with the on-scene law enforcement supervisor.
D. Maintain situational awareness at all times during the incident.
E. Enter and operate apparatus within disturbed areas as closely together as physically possible. No apparatus shall operate independently.
F. Maintain four persons on each piece of fire apparatus. EMS units shall operate with a suppression unit at all times in the hostile environment.
G. Perform tasks in pairs or small groups. Maintain accountability, no person is to operate independently.
H. Position apparatus to permit a rapid evacuation from the hazard area.
I. Minimize the use of emergency warning devices.
J. Perform operations as directed by the incident commander. Prepare for deviations from the usual Fire and Rescue Department operations.
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Hi Larry,
Thanks a million for the SOP. I'll analyse it and extract what might be appropriate to our set-up here. Could you let me know the size of your department please - No. of personnel, no. of stations etc.? We have 900 full-time personnel spread over 12 stations plus 2 volunteer stations. We do both fire and EMS. We serve all of Dublin city and county - approximately 356 sq miles.
Thanks again,
Peter.
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Peter,
Our department Fairfax County has 37 fire houses with 37 engine companies, 14 ladder companies, 8 heavy rescue companies, and 41 ems transport units (most are ALS). We have 1,400 personnel. The county is 485 square miles with a population of just over 1,000,000. My station which has an engine, ladder, 2 ems units ran last year 9,500 incidents. We are located just outside Washington DC. We responded to the pentagon attack and our FEMA Task Force One has been all over the globe on numerous rescue missions. I've been on the department for almost 36 years and will retire in January 2011. Let me know if you need anything else.
Larry
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Larry,
Many thanks for such a swift reply. We also serve just over 1 million but only have 22 engines, 2 Ladders, 1 Hyd Platform, 2 Rescue squads and 12 paramedic ambulances plus 2 advanced paramedic cars. We run about 135,000 calls per year total about 60% of which are EMS. Don't have figures for my station, but it is one of the 3 busiest. We have 2 engines, 1 Rescue squad, 1 ambulance and the District Officer (Battalion chief). I am a Station Officer (Capt.) with 28 years service.
I'm know the Pentagon attack was a major blow to all, but I get the impression it was handled with the utmost professionalism, judging from what I have seen on TV and from your obvious dedication to your profession. I looked at your profile and it is impressive. I'm sure you have enjoyed your career and I wish you a long and happy retirement from January 2011.
Many thanks again,
Peter.
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The Pentagon went smooth because in the Metro DC area all of the fire departments have communications with each other and we all use the same ICS along with inter departmental manuals which all juristictions participate in putting them together. The initial BC at the pentagon is a good friend of mine and a squared away person. They had their hands full to say the least. It looked small compared to the twin towers but they did a great job. The biggest problem was accountability. Units who were not dispatched from DC and Maryland showed up without going thru command and started working.
I am also a station captain. I do look forward to retirement only because my knees are not in good shape. Plus it will be nice to have a good nights sleep.
Larry
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We have formally adopted a new ICS recently, very much based on the American model - tactical modes , sectorisation etc. I can fully understand why some units wanted to self-deploy that day, but it obviously caused a few problems.
Thanks again for your help and let me know if there's anything I can do to return the favour.
If you would like to know more about our Brigade check out http://www.dublinfirebrigade.com/ or http://www.irishfireservices.ie/
I am attached to Phibsboro station.
Take care,
Peter.
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Permalink Reply by Bobby King on
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I think it just happens at diffrent times. My father was a Firefighter in Downtown Cincinnati Ohio during the 60's and 70's
He dont talk about it much but from what I hear it was a pretty rough time to be a public safety official. He said that somebody would set a dumpster on fire and then throw bricks at the First due as they got on scene from atop buildings.
They used to have a CPD cruiser posted at houses that were in problem areas and the cruiser would roll with the rigs to thwart attacks on Firemen. If it got to be more than that officer could handle then they would call in more resources
I dont know if thats an option across the pond but over here if the situation gets to be too hostile we will do the 3 R's and respond on in when scene is declared clear.
Sgt. Bobby J. King
Firefighter/Rescue Tech
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Permalink Reply by Chaplain Robert A Crutchfield on
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We don't see it, but that's probably more from luck than anything. Of course our city is fairly small if anything did break out local police, sheriff's and constables would be all over it in a matter of seconds . Of course from that standpoint it helps that fire and police here share the same dispatch. Local PD would be on the way as soon as we said "boo" Or if the dispatcher heard anything they didn't like. I've always said we are a VERY lucky department !
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