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Firefighters slam attacks by yobs

Oct 11 2009 Sunday Sun

The data, released under the Freedom of Information Act, comes as firefighters in Tyne and Wear published worrying new statistics about people’s attitudes to fire prevention.

Their survey found 19% of people believe a pet dog or cat would alert them to the presence of fire, and a further 43% believe they could survive easily for more than two minutes in a smoke-filled room.

Some 87% said they owned a smoke alarm, although 65% said they do not test it weekly.

People are more than twice as likely to die in an accidental house fire if they do not have a working smoke alarm.

A new TV advert is attempting to educate people by showing a sleeping couple overcome by the toxic smoke when a fire breaks out in their home at night.

Asst Chief Fire Officer Capeling said these are precisely the kinds of emergencies where firefighters’ resources are needed the most.

He added: “People who try to stop firefighters doing their jobs might not understand the impact they are having.

“It’s mostly youths, and mostly opportunists. We try to explain to them because it’s important that they know what they’re doing.”

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