Lothian & Borders Fire Brigade has its busiest week for years (December 2001)

Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade attended 922 incidents in the seven days around bonfire night this year, a huge increase on the 400 calls normally attended by the brigade in an average week.

265 of these incidents were dangerous bonfires, usually set by children deliberately and unsupervised by adults. The Brigade was also called to 49 bonfires which were found to be properly supervised and were therefore not extinguished.

More worryingly, the Brigade suffered ten attacks on firefighters across the region in the five days before bonfire night and 45 attacks on the night this year, the majority of which were by gangs of youths throwing missiles or setting off fireworks aimed at the crews. The attacks are often vicious and are certainly demotivating for fire crews, adding a level of danger over and above that which the firefighters already face.

Convener of the Lothian and Borders Fire Board, Councillor Ken Harrold, said; 'It is outrageous that men and women who risk their lives to save others find themselves subjected to violence and abuse in the course of their work. This problem is clearly getting worse, and it is no longer confined to the period around bonfire night. I want to get across the message that firefighters are not anonymous figures who are there to be targets for stones, bottles and fireworks. They are ordinary men and women who provide an extraordinary service in protecting the community.'

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