South Yorkshire fire service urge parents to be 'vigilant' in run-up to bonfire night
The service usually sees a rise in incidents at this time of year
Parents across South Yorkshire are being reminded to 'stay vigilant' this weekend at any early bonfire night celebrations.
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service are advising us to make sure all fireworks are kept away from children, and that any lit fires don't end up out of control.
John Buley is a District Manager for Community Safety:
“It’s often understated how many burns can occur with sparklers, and often it’s after they’ve gone out.
“We always suggest putting a bucket of water near where you’re going to be using sparklers, or having a bucket of mud or using a patch of the ground that you can put them down into.
“One of the things we also see is bonfires getting out of control very quickly. Keep them well away from fences, trees, shrubbery and the buildings themselves.
“Have a source of water nearby, whether it be a hosepipe or buckets of water.
“With the fireworks, we do know you can get illegal fireworks so the biggest advice is to make sure they’re safety stamped and from reputable suppliers.
“Children often get hurt from mis-angling a firework so always keep an eye on their locations. These are explosive and can react in bad ways if they’re damaged or have been stored wrong, So lighting them at arms-length and using the correct packaging it’s been provided with.”