Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to remember, remember to celebrate safely this Bonfire Night.
The Service is encouraging people to attend organised displays, as the highest number of firework-related injuries happen at family or private parties.
For details of more than a dozen local Fireworks Displays, see the InBurton What’s On page.
Head of Risk Reduction, Glynn Luznyj said: “It’s important to be educated about the dangers of bonfires and fireworks so you can celebrate safely. We encourage people to attend organised bonfires and fireworks displays instead of holding your own party as organised events are much safer plus more enjoyable for the whole family.
“It is also important that children are aware of the dangers that bonfires and fireworks can pose. We are hoping that Bonfire Night will be free from serious incidents for us and that everyone celebrates safely while they’re having fun.”
Bonfire Night safety posters have been distributed across the county and safety leaflets have been given to firework sellers to hand out to people purchasing fireworks.
The Service will be running a Bonfire Twitterthon on Saturday November 3 and will be tweeting live incident information from 6.30pm – 11.30pm. To join in follow Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service on Twitter using the @staffsfire profile and use the #rememberremember.
Did you know?
• A sparkler reaches a temperature of up to 2,000 degrees Celsius – that’s 20 times the boiling point of water.
• Sparklers get five times hotter than cooking oil.
• A rocket can reach 150 miles an hour.
• A firework shell can go as high as 200 metres.
• Three sparklers burning together generate the same heat as a blow-torch.
• Why do you see the explosion before hearing it? The sound travels at 742 miles/ hour, but light travels 670,616,625.6 miles / hour.
• A sparkler burns at five times the heat of a bonfire.
• Around half of all injuries happen to children under the age of 17.
• The most common injuries are to hands followed by eyes and faces.
• Fireworks are safer now than they have been in the past thanks to the safety standard BS7114 – you should never buy or use fireworks that do not show on the label that they comply with this standard.
The Firework Code:
• Only buy fireworks marked BS 7114.
• Don’t drink alcohol if setting off fireworks.
• Keep fireworks in a closed box.
• Follow the instructions on each firework.
• 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 it could still explode.
• Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them.
• Always supervise children around fireworks.
• Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves.
• Never give sparklers to a child under five.
• Keep pets indoors.
• Don’t set off noisy fireworks late at night and never after 11pm
For more Bonfire Night safety information, visit www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk. For all non-emergency enquiries contact: 08451 22 11 55 and in an emergency dial 999.
Click HERE for our list of all the Bueron and area Fireworks Displays.
