Strathclyde Fire & Rescue has recently launched a campaign to combat fire hydrant vandalism in Glasgow.

The zero tolerance campaign - which uses CCTV footage to identify vandals - is timed to coincide with the school summer holidays, the peak time for hydrant vandalism. The campaign is in response to recent video footage which shows youths and children risking serious injury while opening and damaging hydrants.

The enforcement and prosecution initiative is based on a successful pilot scheme in the East End of Glasgow where action was taken against a number of young people who were identified after being caught on CCTV cameras while vandalising hydrants.

During May, which had a lot of sunny weather, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue crews were called out to deal with 344 open hydrants, compared to 1,404 for the whole of 2007. Video footage taken in May shows young men almost being hit by a door and a window that they have recklessly placed over the powerful water jet from an open hydrant. Another clip shows a young girl almost being hit by a car whose driver has not seen her playing in the spray from an open hydrant.

Assistant Chief Officer Neil Turnbull, Director of Community Safety for Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, said: “Firefighters need water to fight fires but our task becomes very difficult if water pressure is reduced or if hydrants are impossible to open because they have been damaged. Parents should warn their children about the dangers of hydrant vandalism. I would ask responsible adults to prevent children misusing hydrants and report anyone involved to Strathclyde Police. Hydrant vandalism is an unacceptable form of antisocial behaviour that will result in prosecution.”

Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s partners in the campaign are Strathclyde Police, Glasgow Community & Safety Services, Scottish Water and Glasgow Housing Association.