A Trap?

I've been thinking about this post for the last couple of days, since it happened.  I'm not sure exactly how to say what I want to say, so we'll see how it goes.

Early Christmas morning, a fire department near here was called to a structure fire.
My first reaction was to hope it wasn't a case where lights on the tree had caught fire, with a sleeping family.

It wasn't.

To make a long story short, the next bits of information I heard on the scanner strongly suggested that it was arson, and it sounded very much like things were set up to intentionally injure firefighters. Fortunately, the first person on scene was very on the ball, and was able to relay information to arriving responders so that no one was hurt.

But I can't stop thinking about it.
I've been to a variety of calls where someone could have gotten hurt.
I've been to some where someone DID get hurt.
And I've been to some where the person at the residence behaved in some way that was threatening to responders, once we arrived.

But I have yet to go to a call where the PLAN was to hurt someone who was coming to help.

Back in early training classes, both for EMS and Fire, the concept was discussed at some length. We were told to watch out for such things, and discussed some of the possible scenarios.

Still, I hadn't seen it.

It's such a horrible thought. Why would someone do that? What is the point, exactly, of setting up some sort of booby-trap, and then calling for "help," to see innocent people, the very people who are coming to your aid- and often, it's volunteers, who aren't paid- get hurt, when all they wanted to do was help you?

I can't imagine what would be going through the head of anyone who would do that.

I hope they catch whoever this was, and send them to jail for a long time.
It isn't something that should EVER be taken lightly.