Data collected by Legal Expert has cast light on the threat faced by firefighters around the UK and led to Matt Wrack, former General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, to call for urgent change.
The information, which was gathered through Freedom of Information requests sent to nearly 40 fire services around the UK, shows that members of the public attacked crew members on thousands of occasions.
Firefighters were subjected to physical attacks, verbal assault and threats of violence, with numerous missiles thrown at them and their appliances during operations.
National stats suggest trend
Statistics published by the Home Office indicate that there were 96 injuries suffered from attacks during England-based operational incidents in 2023/24. Not only was this a rise of more than 25% on the year before, but it was the highest figure recorded in any of the past 15 years, and a 284% increase on the 25 cases noted in 2014/15.
Firefighters suffered 82 slight injuries and 14 serious injuries, according to the data.
Former General Secretary, Fire Brigades Union, Matt Wrack’s statement
Before leaving his role in January, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Matt Wrack called for greater trust and protection for firefighters when responding to the data collected by Legal Expert.
Wrack said: “Firefighters must be able to respond to emergencies everywhere without fear of abuse or injury from attacks.
It is vital that fire and rescue services retain and build trust with local communities, but community engagement projects have been cut while firefighters are sent out with fewer resources and smaller crews.
“Some services are now overseen by police commissioners, which jeopardises public perception of the service as independent and humanitarian. We need investment in the fire and rescue service to reduce the risks firefighters face while they are protecting others.”
Over 1000 incidents shared by two fire services
West Midlands Fire Service took in 666 reports of violent activity between April 2020 and November 2024–with the data covering a period more than a year shorter than that of most other services.
There were 449 cases of verbal abuse, at a rate above one every four days. Only three other services across the UK reported more instances of physical or verbal attacks in six years than the 180 seen in the West Midlands in 2023 alone.
Detailed Staffordshire reports give insight into everyday threats
Fire service staff have felt the strain in recent years, with one report showing a 40% rise in mental health-related absences. Multiple services also saw staff miss significant amounts of time because of attacks by members of the public.
The London Fire Brigade lost 372 working days due to assault-related absence, 259 of which involved staff in Barnet. Northern Irish staff were also significantly affected, with three injured crew members missing 103 days between them.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, which noted 56 incidents including 17 physical assaults, provided summaries of its reports. An April 2022 case noted how the family member of a person who died in an incident attacked one firefighter, scratching their face, then “tried to run down” two more.
In another incident, Tamworth Fire Station was informed that a first responder was struck on the ankle when a member of the public threw tiles from the roof of a building. Fire services across the UK shared reports of missiles being thrown, with objects including bricks, stones, eggs and fireworks all aimed at staff.
Ex- General Secretary for the Fire Brigades Union calls for end to violence: Summary
Matt Wrack, the now former General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, has called for an investigation to be made into the increased level of violent attacks made towards firefighters.
