A FIRE chief has hit out at a 'feral underclass' after one of his men was shot at as they put out a huge blaze.
Watch Commander Reg Haye, from Chadderton station in Oldham, has slammed 'certain sections of society' after the sickening attack.
His crew was one of four called to a raging inferno at a scrap yard in the town.
They had put out 60 burning cars which had been deliberately torched when one of his officers was targeted by a youth clutching an air rifle.
The officer managed to dive to safety - with the pellet whizzing past him and smashing into a car.
Reg, 42, says the latest attack, which happened on Tuesday at about 6.30pm, is just one of many and believes something needs to be done.
He explained: "This kind of thing is happening all over Greater Manchester. About 18 months ago I was travelling as a passenger in the engine and was hit by a brick thrown through the window.
Feral underclass
"There's a feral underclass out there and it's worse than it has ever been. They get some kind of masochistic pleasure from attacking us. We don't need it - our jobs are difficult enough to do as it is."
The firefighter was left shaken but unhurt by the attack. Steve Wilkes, manager at Broadbent Motors, in Watersheddings, says it is the second time they have been targeted in two months.
He slammed those responsible. "Last time it caused £20,000 of damage and this time looks like the same. It doesn't surprise me that one has tried to shoot a fireman. They don't give a monkey's.
"This is people's livelihoods that are being put at risk.
"There was a ton of them there and they were running close to the fire and messing about."
He added that one of the fire fighters confronted some of the youths only to be met with ignorance.
"He collared some of them and they just said 'the council will pay for it, they pay for us,'" he said.
"You wonder what they are being taught at home. Why would you do it?"
Deputy County Fire Officer Kieran Nolan also joined the criticism.
He said "Any attack on firefighters or emergency-service workers is totally unacceptable. We are here to help the public when they need us; an attack which hampers or prevents us reaching those in need places them in even more danger.
"Fortunately in this instance the firefighter concerned was unhurt, but the outcome could have been much more severe with potentially life changing consequences"
'Feral' thug shoots at fireman
June 17, 2009
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The blaze at Broadbent Autos scrapyard
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Superbean 123 (17/06/2009 at 15:34)
want to leave, Stretford (17/06/2009 at 15:50)
alternatively any fireman injusred by these pond life in the course of theie duty should sue the family responsible, the family should also be evicted, and whe scroat responible jailed for endangering life
john davis (17/06/2009 at 16:08)
Your havin a laugh, Tameside (17/06/2009 at 16:12)
Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (17/06/2009 at 16:15)
ronnell_uk (17/06/2009 at 16:15)
Angie33 , Manchester (17/06/2009 at 16:28)
Is It Me? (17/06/2009 at 16:34)
edinburgh red, edinburgh (17/06/2009 at 16:37)
Audenshaw Bob (17/06/2009 at 16:48)
These days you hear of gangs of eight attacking an old man, these youths starting on firemen etc. What have they got against firemen that causes them to be violent towards them? What is their cause?
We really do have an underclass but it isn't pc to say it. Look at that man in Warrington who was beaten up for telling youths to stop vandalsiing his property. Time was when I was a teenager that you my have pulled a prank but if you got caught or seen then you scarpered. These days they aren't pranks but vandalism and when caught in the act they beat up the innocent person! Why?
On an earlier post I said about last night drving in town where are car turning rights changed his mind and pulled in front of me TWICE once causing me to do an emergency stop. When I shrugged and put my hands up as if to say 'what's all that about' I was met by a barrge from the passenger telling me not to 'dis him' and that he would 'lay me out' etc.
I do nothing wrong, they do and it's me that nearly gets my head kicked in. Any normal person that did what the driver did would keep there head down knwoing that they had done wrong .
These days there is no sense of right and wrong. The wrongdoers carry on doing it and if somebody syas something they are accused of 'dissing them' and more than likely will get beat up.
Most people I know who have emigrated state this attitude as the problem. Sure some countries have their problems but believe you me we live in a rough society, we really do.
Nemo (17/06/2009 at 17:03)
Over 21, Gtr Manchester (17/06/2009 at 17:13)
Make the parents pay for the damage. No excuses.
Children should be taught respect and responsibility by their parents, but so many children don't seem to have respectful and responsible parents to teach them these all-important lessons.
Angie33 , Manchester (17/06/2009 at 17:24)
expat oldham, australia (17/06/2009 at 17:27)
Bucko (17/06/2009 at 17:35)
I wouldn't even 'delay' the fire engine - just not turn up as part of an accepted policy that people who attack the emergency services will not be eligible for receiving any help in the future.
James Yates, Hyde, Cheshire (17/06/2009 at 17:38)
Felix, manchester uk (17/06/2009 at 18:01)
Angie33 , Manchester (17/06/2009 at 18:05)
Fixit, Delft, Netherlands (17/06/2009 at 18:05)
But you consider a greedy politician (morally a lowlife I grant you) as bad as someone who beats and robs the elderly, or indeed someone who illegally claims benefits is as bad as a 'chav' who shoots at the Emergency Services?
You seem to be under the illusion that its not 'there' fault but societies? Wrong, wrong, wrong! They made a choice, they want to be macho and they are lowlives.
You're reply is a typical 'lefty' socialist community workers outlook! A badly behaved 'public school toff' drinks too many Pimm's, vomits in someones garden and try's to de-bag the local vicar! Bad behavior yes, but hardly in the same league as a lowlife who shoots at people!
They are scum, the great unwashed, they deserve to be publicly flogged and made a example out of. I don't know, but I can give a good guess they are from a bad back ground, parents who don't care, limited education because they have wasted their chance (they are provided with chances because they have to go to school, they are plant pots for not using that chance and remain a halfwit), don't defend them by laying the blame at others feet, don't compare 'morally bankrupt greed' with violence and don't blame society for these fools not taking the chances in life they are provided with. I am from a council estate, a comp education and the son of a laid off 80's miner! I don't shoot people!
This 'idiotic lefty' attitude of blaming society for the actions of criminals and treating them with lenience is why we have these problems today. A Liberal approach hasn't worked. Flog them publicly, any member of their families who claim benefits should have them stopped and that money should be given to the victims. Top this off with 10 years hard labour, 14 hours per day and watch crime rates plummet! I suggest hard labour and flogging because I am against the 'death penalty' before you start accusing me of being a right wing extremist. I am realist, a humanist. Commit human wrongs and you forfeit all human rights. These scum bags deserve no rights, human or otherwise so stop blaming society and start pointing the finger at individuals who make their own choices.
I still cant believe you think that a benefit fraudster is no different to a violent loony with a gun! Go back to reading the 'Guardian', the real world doesn't need those comments and certainly not the Fireman who were shot at!
Bobby White (17/06/2009 at 18:38)
Angie33 , Manchester (17/06/2009 at 18:39)
Angelene19, Manchester (17/06/2009 at 18:44)
Eddie the red, Surrey born and bred, Middlesex (17/06/2009 at 19:21)
EBYGUM, MANCHESTER (17/06/2009 at 19:42)
put in local papers, with names,humiliation, they will not do it again, all these kids, think about,is this,
respect, easy money, laugh at someone else, but they will not like being laughed at.
if we had the bottle to do this, it will cut or stop this crap, humiliate the buggers, its a different thing
than mooning, name in the paper, picture of both ends, left there for a couple of hours, with strides down, if you want to lob eggs, or rotten veg, thats o.k. give them a boot, if you feel the need.
Audenshaw Bob (17/06/2009 at 21:03)
We should be able to move about freely without fearing the scum outside the local off licence. I nipped out there before and was call all sorts of names, sapt at etc. What had I done to deserve that? Nothing. It's just how it is these days I suppose.