Children taught about attacks on emergency services
Primary schoolchildren in west Belfast were targeted today in a campaign to cut down on attacks on the essential services.
With the long summer school holidays close, the Fire Service, Police Service and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service joined with public transport provider Translink and the West Belfast Taxi Association to launch its first Community Safety Day.
The various services formed the Essential Services Safety Group 18 months ago to work with the local community to try to drive down attacks and other lawless acts on both the emergency services and other public services.
Ninety primary seven pupils from local schools were invited to the first Community Safety Day at the Fire and Safety Training Centre in Belfast’s Boucher Crescent.
They participated in education sessions and group activity work with personnel and vehicles from each of the essential services.
It is planned to roll out the initiatives to schools across Belfast.
Divisional Fire Officer John Wilson said the idea was to put a human face on the essential services with the children.
“The Essential Services Safety Group’s key message is clear: Your Community, Your Services , Your Safety,” he said.
He added: “We want to convince young people that if essential services are hindered in any way, it will be to the detriment of the whole community.
“It also provides the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service with a grassroots opportunity to get other community fire safety messages across, for example hoax calls.”
John McPoland of the Ambulance Service said they looked on the initiative as an investment in the future which would, in the months and years ahead, would lead to a reduction in attacks.
“We hope that the young people here will share today’s experience with their friends in the realisation that the biggest losers, at the end of the day, are their own families and friends.”
Superintendent Peter Farrar of the Police Service said attacks on any organisation or group providing essential services to local communities were unacceptable.
He said: “We are working together to ensure that these attacks cease and that organisations delivering services to the heart of local communities can continue to do so without fear.
“Lives are put at risk every time a service attending a call is attacked.”
Such attacks are not limited to Belfast. Last night the Fire Service was attacked while tackling fires in Bangor and Lisburn, and the police came under attack in Derry.
