With Autumn in full swing, Halloween and bonfire night are fast approaching! While both holidays promise lots of fun, there are often more fire hazards to be aware of and it’s important to celebrate safely. Keep reading to find out how you and your family can stay fire safe.
To help avoid any accidents this holiday season, you should consider avoiding naked flames altogether. Using battery-operated LED candles or glow sticks to light up your pumpkins and home are a much safer alternative and can look realistic. You should ensure these display the BSI Kitemark so that you know they’ve been tested are are safe to use.
We strongly encourage you to enjoy fireworks safely by attending an organised display. However, if you choose to set these off at home, purchase fireworks from a reputable seller and follow the instructions on these carefully. Light them at least eight meters away from any buildings or people, and don’t drink alcohol when doing this. Always supervise children with sparklers and never give them to a child under the age of five. On the night you may need:
A closed metal box to store the fire works
A bucket of water for emergencies
Eye protections and gloves
A bucket of soil or sand to stick fireworks in
Whether you’re being a vampire, witch or zombie, fire certainly won’t be scared of you! Costumes are often made with flowing robes or capes, which means they can catch fire easily and quickly engulf a child in flames. Keep children and costumes away from naked flames, and check the labels to see what fire resistance they offer before buying. Teach your child to stop, drop and roll, in the event that their clothing does catch fire.
We advise you not to have a bonfire as fire can spread very easily, but if you do, only burn dry materials and build this far away from buildings, sheds, fences and trees. Check there are no cables above and don’t use petrol or paraffin to get the fire going – it may get out of control quickly. Keep a bucket of water nearby in case of emergencies and never leave the bonfire unattended. Once the bonfire is lit make sure you:
Keep children and pets away
don’t throw any fireworks into the fire
don’t burn aerosols, tyres, canisters or anything containing foam or paint – this many produce toxic fumes and some containers may explode
Lengthy periods of hot and dry weather can result in dry grass and foliage, and it only takes a spark to cause a wildfire. If you’re out and about enjoying the sunshine make sure you take any litter with you when you leave, especially glass, as direct sunlight can cause this to catch fire. This includes cigarettes, which should always be fully extinguished and never thrown out of car windows where they may land on dry ground by the roadside. You should also keep your own garden and driveway free from rubbish and debris to reduce combustible sources.
Communal fire doors should always be kept closed, regardless of the season, to ensure their fire-resistant functionality and prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Although you may be tempted to keep them open for ventilation or convenience during the warmer months, this could allow fire to spread more quickly throughout your building, compromising everyone’s safety.
With the summer holidays just around the corner, many of us will be counting down the days until we can escape for some much-needed relaxation. If you’re going to be leaving your home unoccupied, it’s important that you take a few steps to reduce the chance of a fire before you leave. This includes:
• Turn off all gas appliances that are not required to be running while you’re away
• Turn off and unplug all electrical appliances also not needed while you’re away
• Turn off water at the mains. Water from a leaking pipe or overflowing from a cistern could cause a fault in the electrical wiring wiring and lead to a fire.
• Close all internal doors to prevent a fire spreading easily through your home and causing damage
• Ask a relative, friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your home while you’re away and leave a key with them if possible
• Test your smoke alarms before going away so that if a fire starts, your neighbours will be alerted
This Halloween and bonfire night please remember to be respectful of those living in your community. If you plan to let off fireworks or start a bonfire, please let your neighbours know in advance and be mindful of young children and pets. It’s against the law to set off fireworks in a public place and between the hours of 11pm and 7am.