Safety plea as fire service braced for busy Halloween
NIFRS has issued safety messages ahead of October 31st
Crowds look on as fireworks illuminate the Belfast sky.
Published 28th Oct 2021 Last updated 30th Oct 2021
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has issued an appeal for safety ahead what is expected to be another busy Halloween period for their crews.
Last Halloween NIFRS attended 100 incidents, 15 per cent more than the previous year.
With little to no chance for community outreach this year as covid continues to take hold, and easing restrictions mean the public is more socially mobile once more, it’s feared this year will see yet another rise in fire incidents as people gather together for the holiday.
Bonfires, fireworks, sparklers and fancy-dress costumes are all part and parcel of the occasion, but the fun brings with it great danger.
“I would anticipate us being even busier in some way this year because people are out more this year, rightly so, so I suppose we’re just trying to make sure that we do so safely,” said Group Commander Suzanne Flemming.
She said incorrect procedure when setting up fireworks is a big concern.
“Sometimes if people are setting them up, and they haven’t got good safety protocols in place, maybe they haven’t got enough clearance around them, they can set them off and they’ll accidentally land on groups of houses or buildings or set fire to things unintentionally.
“So I suppose it’s about explaining to the public about the explosive force of the firework and the danger behind that, not just from a fire point of view but also that explosive force can cause injury which effects our other colleagues in the ambulance service as well.
“It’s harder for us to manage if people haven’t got that mindset about being safe around dangerous things like fireworks.”
Suzanne said it’s a question of managing resources, and that public actions can help ensure her colleagues can help everyone in need of assistance across the province.
“I think that people often don’t think about the implications of things, like if they set a fire outside, what that might mean.
“If you set a fire in your local area, you think it’s harmless.
“But someone’s going to phone that in because they’re worried about it, that’s going to mean we send a fire engine to it, and then that means that our fire engines are all out in different places all over Halloween evening, and then they’re not there for the calls we really need to be available for – the road traffic collisions, the house fires, property fires.
“It can have a big implication for us as a service,” she said.
“Our crews will always respond and we’re happy to go out and respond to calls, that’s what we do, that’s our job, but I suppose all we want is to kind of raise that awareness again.
Small things that you do, and small decisions you make can have a big impact across the whole service and what we’re responding to and we want you all ultimately to be safe on Halloween night and we want to ensure our provision across the province as well.
• You must obtain a license. • Only buy fireworks marked with a CE.. • Keep fireworks in a closed box when not in use and keep away from ignition sources. • Follow the manufacturer’s advice on each firework and use them one at a time. • Light them at arm’s length using a taper. Stand well back. • Never go near a firework that has been lit, even if it hasn’t gone off as it could still explode.
FIREWORKS
• You must obtain a license. • Only buy fireworks marked with a CE.. • Keep fireworks in a closed box when not in use and keep away from ignition sources. • Follow the manufacturer's advice on each firework and use them one at a time. • Light them at arm's length using a taper. Stand well back. • Never go near a firework that has been lit, even if it hasn't gone off as it could still explode.
Safety plea as fire service braced for busy Halloween
2 of 3
SPARKLERS
Store sparklers in a closed box in a cool, dry place.<br />• Always light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves, keeping them at arm's length.<br />• Never hold a baby or child if you have a sparkler in your hand.<br />• Plunge finished sparklers hot end down into a bucket of water as soon as they have burnt out. Sparklers stay hot for a long time.<br />• Don't take sparklers to public displays. It will be too crowded to use them safely.<br />• Never give sparklers to under 5s - they will not understand how to use them safely.<br />• Always supervise children using sparklers, teach them how to use them properly and give them leather gloves to wear.<br /><br />
• You must obtain a license. • Only buy fireworks marked with a CE.. • Keep fireworks in a closed box when not in use and keep away from ignition sources. • Follow the manufacturer’s advice on each firework and use them one at a time. • Light them at arm’s length using a taper. Stand well back. • Never go near a firework that has been lit, even if it hasn’t gone off as it could still explode.
FIREWORKS
• You must obtain a license. • Only buy fireworks marked with a CE.. • Keep fireworks in a closed box when not in use and keep away from ignition sources. • Follow the manufacturer's advice on each firework and use them one at a time. • Light them at arm's length using a taper. Stand well back. • Never go near a firework that has been lit, even if it hasn't gone off as it could still explode.
Keep children away from naked flames - avoid using a naked flame or candle in pumpkins; use a torch, glow stick or battery operated candle. • Stop, Drop and Roll if clothing does catch on fire - to try to extinguish the flames and also to stop the flames from rising towards the face. • Choose a costume and mask that doesn’t restrict a child’s visibility or vision. • Wear woolen tights or ‘heavy’ trousers (jeans) and a woolen jumper under the costume. • Ensure children are well supervised at all times. • Look out for Costumes that are labelled ‘Low Flammability’ ‘BS5722’ or have the European code ‘BS EN 14878’ which meets the higher standard of The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985.
FANCY DRESS
Keep children away from naked flames - avoid using a naked flame or candle in pumpkins; use a torch, glow stick or battery operated candle.<br />• Stop, Drop and Roll if clothing does catch on fire - to try to extinguish the flames and also to stop the flames from rising towards the face.<br />• Choose a costume and mask that doesn't restrict a child's visibility or vision. <br />• Wear woolen tights or 'heavy' trousers (jeans) and a woolen jumper under the costume. <br />• Ensure children are well supervised at all times.<br />• Look out for Costumes that are labelled 'Low Flammability' 'BS5722' or have the European code 'BS EN 14878' which meets the higher standard of The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985. <br /><br />
SPARKLERS
Store sparklers in a closed box in a cool, dry place.<br />• Always light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves, keeping them at arm's length.<br />• Never hold a baby or child if you have a sparkler in your hand.<br />• Plunge finished sparklers hot end down into a bucket of water as soon as they have burnt out. Sparklers stay hot for a long time.<br />• Don't take sparklers to public displays. It will be too crowded to use them safely.<br />• Never give sparklers to under 5s - they will not understand how to use them safely.<br />• Always supervise children using sparklers, teach them how to use them properly and give them leather gloves to wear.<br /><br />
• You must obtain a license. • Only buy fireworks marked with a CE.. • Keep fireworks in a closed box when not in use and keep away from ignition sources. • Follow the manufacturer’s advice on each firework and use them one at a time. • Light them at arm’s length using a taper. Stand well back. • Never go near a firework that has been lit, even if it hasn’t gone off as it could still explode.
FIREWORKS
• You must obtain a license. • Only buy fireworks marked with a CE.. • Keep fireworks in a closed box when not in use and keep away from ignition sources. • Follow the manufacturer's advice on each firework and use them one at a time. • Light them at arm's length using a taper. Stand well back. • Never go near a firework that has been lit, even if it hasn't gone off as it could still explode.
Keep children away from naked flames - avoid using a naked flame or candle in pumpkins; use a torch, glow stick or battery operated candle. • Stop, Drop and Roll if clothing does catch on fire - to try to extinguish the flames and also to stop the flames from rising towards the face. • Choose a costume and mask that doesn’t restrict a child’s visibility or vision. • Wear woolen tights or ‘heavy’ trousers (jeans) and a woolen jumper under the costume. • Ensure children are well supervised at all times. • Look out for Costumes that are labelled ‘Low Flammability’ ‘BS5722’ or have the European code ‘BS EN 14878’ which meets the higher standard of The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985.
FANCY DRESS
Keep children away from naked flames - avoid using a naked flame or candle in pumpkins; use a torch, glow stick or battery operated candle.<br />• Stop, Drop and Roll if clothing does catch on fire - to try to extinguish the flames and also to stop the flames from rising towards the face.<br />• Choose a costume and mask that doesn't restrict a child's visibility or vision. <br />• Wear woolen tights or 'heavy' trousers (jeans) and a woolen jumper under the costume. <br />• Ensure children are well supervised at all times.<br />• Look out for Costumes that are labelled 'Low Flammability' 'BS5722' or have the European code 'BS EN 14878' which meets the higher standard of The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985. <br /><br />
SPARKLERS
Store sparklers in a closed box in a cool, dry place.<br />• Always light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves, keeping them at arm's length.<br />• Never hold a baby or child if you have a sparkler in your hand.<br />• Plunge finished sparklers hot end down into a bucket of water as soon as they have burnt out. Sparklers stay hot for a long time.<br />• Don't take sparklers to public displays. It will be too crowded to use them safely.<br />• Never give sparklers to under 5s - they will not understand how to use them safely.<br />• Always supervise children using sparklers, teach them how to use them properly and give them leather gloves to wear.<br /><br />
