Why do people try to hurt firefighters?

Question

I have been to quite a few calls where, teens have attempted to shoot us with paint-balls and air-soft guns. I have heard of firefighters being hit with rocks and other things while responding to an emergency. Also, there have been calls where someone will call 911 and tell the dispatcher that their house is on fire or their car or something like that and then when the fire dep. shows up, they are attacked both physically and verbally. Did I miss something growing up as child when learning about fire safety and firefighters? Is there some reason why firefighters are now the enemy?

Answer 1

We are going into emotionally charged environments, first off. Someones house is burning down, someones hurt or sick. The whole family is around, freaking out, feeding off of each other.

Secondly, we never do our job good enough! We're too slow, that's the problem. We don't run to the fire, we don't run in without air packs or run out with kids hanging off of us like Hollywood portrays. We don't utilize the latest procedures used on House and Greys Anatomy.

That makes us a target of all their emotion right there.

As for people calling in false calls and attacking us- some people are just weird. When you dial 911, you know someone is going to show up. So- if you are homicidal, or just a little angry- you now have a willing group of people who are coming right to your door.

Regarding everything else, getting shot at with paintball and air-soft guns and getting stoned, I think that comes from us being a type of authority figure. You can't shoot a cop with an air-soft gun without getting in trouble- or dead. But- firefighters aren't going to do too much, right? We're the only authority figure they can safely attack and take out their frustrations on.

That's why when we respond to calls we ensure we are safe before we attempt to help anyone.

That's my two cents.

Answer 2

wow, does no one have a heart anymore?

sounds to me like these kids are just trouble makers and are bored.

really, i dont understand it either.

Answer 3

i am surprized to hear this is still going on.

My good friends father was a fire fighter during the Watts riots of the 60's in Cal.

he said people were shooting bullets at them while they were trying to put out the fires from the riots.

People are so dumb at times. Everyone knows that if you are in trouble, the fire dept. is usually there faster then the police to help out.

My aunt was one of the first 911 operaters, they were just called switchboard operaters in her day and they handled calls from both the fire and police depts.I went out with her once on her day off to see the fire fighters in action, right after the fire was out of course, very interesting. Makes me realy wonder why anyone would want to hurt them.

Answer 4

This is news to me. Where I live, they're allowed to do their jobs. (Our tiny department delivered three babies Saturday!) The few firefighters I know online tell me not to share their occupation with others. Since 9-11, they've been elevated to hero status for doing what they always have done, and they don't care for it. Respect, yes, heroism, no.

I'm surprised you don't get PD protection on major calls, if paintball and airsoft are the norm.

Answer 5

Some people are evil

Answer 6

This also has happened to firefighters and bus drivers in particular areas of Australia where the kids are allowed to run wild during the evenings while their neglectful parents drink to excess and drug on, they are the ones who should be held accountable for not educating and teaching their kids the rights and wrongs, the laws should be changed so that parents of feral children causing malicious damage and endangering lives can be charged and fined heavily.