A firefighter at
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service was assaulted when responding to an
incident over the weekend.
The firefighter was
trying to enter the property to extinguish the fire when he was attacked by a
metal pole, which led him to fall on his back.
Reuben Wooley, 37,
has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life, assault causing
actual bodily harm, and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.
Group Manager Tom Archer
said: "We attend incidents to keep our communities safe, not to be
assaulted or abused.
"Thankfully
our firefighter's helmet protected him from this assault however this is not
it's intended use. We strive to build better communities and have safety at the
forefront of our minds when attending incidents.
"To hear that
one of our firefighters was assaulted is something we do not tolerate and will
always report this to our partners at the Police."
Detective Sergeant
Andy Buxton of Nottinghamshire Police is leading the investigation. He said:
"This was a shocking incident which has seen a firefighter injured in the
course of his duties. Thankfully, more serious injuries were averted due to the
firefighter’s headgear taking most of the blow.
"Emergency
Services were called to Helston Drive in Strelley at around 2am on Sunday 20
December following a report of a fire.
"Nottinghamshire
Fire and Rescue Service were at the scene quickly and they used a ladder to
enter the house to extinguish the fire.
"Being
assaulted in the line of duty is not part of the job for any emergency
services.
“Nottinghamshire
Police is committed to protecting our communities and this is an unfortunate
reminder of the dangers we face on a daily basis.”