We keep hearing about yobs attacking fire crews with fireworks, bricks and bottles. So where would a fire fighter stand in the eyes of the law if that fire fighter was to turn his high pressure hose on his attackers and knock them to the ground ?. I would call it self defense but would the police?.
You could always go with the old"Oh dear I was so distracted by the brick some yob had thrown at me that I slipped and momentarily lost control of my hose" defense.
I actually thought about this at the time of the london riots. So much property and trouble might have been saved if only someone had had the balls to aim the hoses at the rioters.
I have often wondered why the fire tenders don't have a reasonably sized tank fitted, easily and quickly accessed, filled with smartwater to spray those who attack them.