Tag: emergency services

Edinburgh urged to celebrate safely ahead of Bonfire Night

Campaign offers advice as new research gives insight to safety behaviours

The Scottish Government and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are urging people in Edinburgh to plan ahead and stay safe this Bonfire Night (5th November).

While new research highlights that 86 per cent of respondents1 in Edinburgh are concerned about the impact of fireworks on others, it also shows that 43 per cent2 stated they would give sparklers to children under five. Sparklers can get five times hotter than cooking oil and are the most common type of firework to injure children3.

David McGill, Lead Clinician for the Care of Burns in Scotland (COBIS) network and Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Scotland’s Burn Hub said: “Children are frequently burned with sparklers.

“There’s a misunderstanding of how hot they can get, causing severe burns to fingers and hands, or catching clothing alight. Sparklers should never be given to children under the age of five.

“Unfortunately we see a rise in burn injuries around Bonfire Night, in both adults and children, with 41 injuries recorded over the four-week period around Guy Fawkes night last year.

“The majority of these occurred at private properties, ranging from minor, such as burns to the fingers, to severe, including loss of fingers and complex eye injuries with loss of vision.”

As part of the new drive, people are also being encouraged to consider attending an organised public display, something almost half of those surveyed (48 per cent4) plan to do.

This remains the safest way to enjoy fireworks and helps minimise their impact on other members of the community, with 42 per cent of respondents5 in Edinburgh stating they have a family member or pet who is negatively affected.

For those still planning on using their own fireworks, the Scottish Government and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to consider others, ensure they know how to keep themselves and loved ones safe, and to follow regulations.

It is illegal to set off fireworks in public places, including streets and parks, and to buy or give fireworks to someone under the age of 18, other than category F1 fireworks6. 

It is also illegal to set off fireworks before 6pm and after 11pm, extending to midnight on 5th November and 1am on Hogmanay, Chinese New Year and Diwali.

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer (DACO) Iain Macleod is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Head of Prevention and Protection. He said: “Every year people are injured by bonfires and fireworks and admitted to hospital, with children particularly affected.

“We encourage the public to follow the safety guidance in the lead up to Bonfire Night and we always recommend attending an organised event if possible.

“People should also be aware of the laws around the use of fireworks, consider the risks and always follow the Firework Code to keep everyone safe.

“Please respect our staff who are working hard to ensure the wider community is safe on one of the busiest nights of the year for our service.”

Fireworks can be particularly distressing for those who experience sensory impairment, and can also cause stress in animals.

Scottish SPCA Director of Innovation and Strategic Relations Gilly Mendes Ferreira said: ‘‘Every year thousands of animals suffer stress and anxiety caused by the use of fireworks.

“Animals can panic and flee at the sound of a bang and this can lead them towards danger such as being the cause of a road traffic accident, also putting human lives at risk.

“Our advice for those with animals includes not walking your dog at night when fireworks are being set off, bringing all pets indoors and stabling horses. Make sure doors, windows and cat flaps are kept closed so your pet doesn’t become distressed and try to escape. If you’re setting a bonfire, always check for cats or wildlife before setting it alight.

“We’d always encourage the public to attend organised displays. If you are going to hold a private display, let your neighbours know so they can safeguard against any distress pets and farm animals may face.”

The Firework Code, details of legislation in Scotland and a list of organised events can be found on firescotland.gov.uk.

To report the misuse of fireworks anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Dispersal Zones information

Dispersal Zones for #OpCrackle have been set up across Edinburgh and will be enforceable from 3rd – 5th November.

These zones are set up to help prevent anti-social behaviour and to keep the community safe.

Additional officers will be deployed over the weekend across the city and they have the grounds to take action should people be involved in such conduct, as detailed in the below poster.

Keep yourself and others safe by attending organised events only, which can be found here:

https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/…/organised…/…

#KeepingPeopleSafe

Scottish Fire and Rescue: Edinburgh Operations Control recruitment

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is recruiting for the next generation of 999 call handlers at its Operations Control site in Edinburgh.  

The role of Firefighter Control is the first point of contact for members of the public who dial 999 to report an emergency. It’s a vital role in keeping Scotland’s communities safe and ensuring that emergency incidents are dealt with effectively and efficiently.  

Group Commander Marie Clare Coyle said: “Our Firefighter Control staff provide a vital service to Scotland’s communities. Our teams are trained to an extremely high standard to enable them to provide emergency help where required.  

“It is a varied and hugely rewarding career, we deal with a range of calls from house fires and road traffic collisions, to major incidents and severe weather-related flooding, keeping people calm in times of distress and concentrating resources where they’re most required. “

 
SFRS is recruiting for Firefighter Control staff to be based at its city-centre site in the Scottish capital, which is located adjacent to Tollcross Community Fire Station. 

Applicants for must be aged 18 or over, with the ability to work rotating shifts.  

Successful applicants will join fellow Operations Control staff upon completion of a 14-week training period – learning how to co-ordinate emergency fire and rescue response and give potentially life-saving advice. 

Group Commander Coyle, who has worked for the service for 24 years, added: “Our Edinburgh control room primarily provides a response to incidents in the East Service Delivery Area and, where required, can support our other control rooms in Johnstone and Dundee. 

“We are looking for people who are motivated, have a willingness to learn, a strong team ethic and the ability to form relationships to take up these roles on Scotland’s unseen frontline.  

“We are a team and we work collectively to respond to each, and every emergency call across Scotland.” 

Find out more about the role and apply at:

 www.firescotland.gov.uk/careers/firefighter-control/ or via My Job Scotland.

Operation Moonbeam 2023: Keeping communities and emergency services safe over Bonfire season

Police Scotland will be deploying Public Order officers in support of community policing teams throughout the Hallowe’en and Bonfire Night period.

Since 2018, specialist resources have supported local officers across the country as part of Operation Moonbeam, following significant disorder and antisocial behaviour in 2017, which saw members of the emergency services, including police officers, attacked.

In 2022, parts of the country were subjected to unacceptable levels of firework-related criminality, which caused considerable distress to communities and resulted in high-value damage to property.

In response to this, an enhanced level of Public Order resource is being deployed during Operation Moonbeam 2023 to provide further support and protection to police officers, other emergency service workers and the general public.

In October last year, new legislation was introduced under the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act This legislation makesthe proxy purchasing of fireworks for anyone under the age of 18 a criminal offence.

Those in breach of this legislation will be subject to a fine of £5,000, a six-month prison term, or both.

From this year, additional legislation under the Act has been introduced, which prohibits the carriage or use of a pyrotechnic article within a public place and allows officers to conduct stop and search activity on anyone they believe may be in possession of such items.

Operation Moonbeam was launched yesterday at a joint event in Edinburgh, alongside Crimestoppers, who launched their own campaign encouraging the public to report any intelligence they have on potential emergency service attacks, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs, Gold Commander for Operation Moonbeam, said: “The overwhelming majority of the public wish to enjoy Bonfire Night safely and responsibly, but it is a small minority who intentionally use the festivities to cause fear and alarm within our communities and commit acts of damage and violence.

“I want to make it abundantly clear that such reckless behaviour, including targeting my officers and other emergency service personnel will not be tolerated and we will use all  the powers at our disposal to bring offenders to justice.

“Last year saw an escalation in incidents in specific parts of the country and we are increasing the level of public order resource available to communities this year to deter and respond to any offences.

“The new powers we have in relation to proxy purchasing and stop and search capabilities for anyone suspected to be in possession of pyrotechnics in a public place are yet another tool at our disposal to address fireworks-related crime.

“We want Bonfire Night to be a safe and enjoyable experience for anyone who choses to participate in it and a peaceful occasion for those who don’t. Please help us achieve this by ensuring your behaviour does not put yourself or others at risk.”

Give information anonymously here:

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously

Operation Crackle: Dispersal Zones come into effect next week

Dispersal Zones for #OpCrackle have been set up across Edinburgh and will be enforceable between 3rd November and 5th November 2023.

These zones are set up to help prevent anti-social behaviour and to keep the community safe.

Additional officers will be deployed over the weekend across the city and they have the grounds to take action should people be involved in such conduct, as detailed in the below poster.

Keep yourself and others safe by attending organised events only, which can be found here:

https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/…/organised…/…

Impact of Storm Babet assessed

Rainfall and river levels ease as Scotland continues to recover from Storm Babet

Alerts and Warnings as at 12:00 – check floodline.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates for latest situation

  • 5 regional Flood Alerts
  • 2 localised Flood Warnings
  • Rivers levels across the North and North East of Scotland remain high but will continue to improve across Sunday, with no rain forecast for the next two days.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have begun to remove regional Flood Alerts and localised Flood Warnings – though these will remain in the areas most impacted by Storm Babet as work to assist communities continues. All Severe Flood Warnings were removed late Saturday afternoon.

People are urged to stay safe and stay out of flood waters, which remain in many areas across the region, to avoid putting more pressure on recovery efforts.

Vincent Fitzsimons, SEPA’s Flood Duty Manager, said: ““The last week has been very challenging for people in Scottish communities, who have experienced another severe weather event.

“ While the weather is an improving picture today, and rivers will continue to fall throughout the day, it’s important to remember that there are still hazards caused by flood waters and it’s important not to put yourself at risk.

“SEPA are removing the majority of local Flood Warnings but regional Flood Alerts remain in force in areas like Tayside and Aberdeenshire. This reflects not only the dangers which still exist from standing flood water, and fast flowing river water, but also that there are important recovery activities underway.

“Continue to follow the advice of the emergency services. Remember that not only is flood water likely to be dirty, hazards can be hidden – so please don’t walk or drive into it. We also urge people to keep away from any riverbank and manmade waterside infrastructures which may have been affected by the severe impacts experienced.

“SEPA’s flooding staff monitor weather forecasts, river levels and flood forecasting models 24/7 throughout the year and will collate the data, feeding this back into our models so that we can continue to provide our partner agencies with the best information available to us.

“This week’s events have shown the importance of early forecasts and warnings for communities and early engagement with partners so they can target support on the ground to those communities that need it most.

“SEPA and the Met Office worked together to advise on the risk of flooding from several days in advance of this event. While early information won’t stop it flooding, it does mean you have time to take action to prepare, so if you haven’t already signed up to Floodline to receive free Flood Alerts and Warnings directly to your phone, do it now – don’t wait until the next flood event to take action.”

SEPA continues to work with the Met Office to monitor the situation 24/7. As well as live information at Flood Updates, people can check the three-day Scottish Flood Forecast to see what conditions are expected.

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) met last night to discuss the exceptional levels of rain in parts of Scotland this weekend. The meeting was chaired by the Justice Secretary Angela Constance.

Resilience Partners include: Regional Resilience Partnerships for the three regions of Scotland; the Met Office; Scottish Water; Scottish Gas Networks; SSEN; and Scottish Power Energy Networks.

The Met Office Red Warning that was in place in parts of Scotland has now been lifted. Amber and yellow warnings are still in force throughout the coming hours with some impacts possible.

Parts of Scotland are still in the midst of dealing with severe flooding impacts and some rivers remain at hazardous levels. There are still Flood Alerts and Warnings in force so people are asked to remain vigilant.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “Storm Babet’s exceptional level of rain has severely impacted parts of Scotland. Tragically, the storm has led to lives being lost and I send my sincere condolences to the families affected.

“While the Red warning has now passed, rain does continue to fall and I urge people in areas with amber and yellow weather warnings to continue to follow advice from emergency services and local authorities.

“Our priority remains to keep the public safe and I want to thank all those who have worked tirelessly, in very challenging conditions, to respond to this exceptional weather event.

“The storm has caused significant damage and while flooding is still occurring, it is not expected to be as serious as over the last 24 hours. The impact, however, will be felt in communities for some time to come.

“While many local authorities are still responding to the immediate impacts of the storm, thoughts are now turning to recovery. Over the coming days and weeks, we will stay in close contact with local authorities to support the people and businesses affected.”

Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stuart Houston said: “We are seeing an improving weather picture, but conditions remain extremely challenging, particularly in the worst affected areas in Tayside.

“A number of roads remain closed due to flooding, while driving conditions on others are extremely hazardous due to surface water.

“I would urge drivers to follow travel advice, prepare for potential disruption and allow extra time for journeys. People should consider if travel in the worst affected areas is essential or if journeys can be delayed until conditions improve further.

“It is also vital that people stay away from flooded areas as these remain highly dangerous due to the extreme conditions of the last few days.”

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issues regional flood alerts and local flood warnings for Scotland. View the latest updates on their website.

Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.

Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website. 

Storm Babet: It’s not over yet

Significant storm impacts to continue this weekend

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) met last night as more exceptional levels of rain were expected to hit parts of the country this weekend, causing further disruption and challenging conditions.

The meeting was chaired by the First Minister after a further high level Red Warning was issued by the Met Office for parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire from 00:01 to 23:59 Saturday.

People are urged not to travel and to stay at home in the affected areas, unless advised to relocate to a rest centre, with ‘exceptional’ levels of rain likely to result in significant disruption and danger to life. 

Amber warnings for rain will be in place for Easter Ross, Caithness and Sutherland on Saturday. In these Amber areas it is being advised people should avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has reported that record water levels have now been recorded at a number of its gaugeing stations, and that five Severe Flood Warnings are currently in place, as well as 11 regional Flood Alerts, and 16 local Flood Warning.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Storm Babet has now, tragically, claimed lives, and my deepest condolences go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones in tragic circumstances.

“I want to pay tribute to everyone across the multi-agency response to Storm Babet who continue to operate, often in incredibly difficult conditions to keep the people of Scotland safe.

“Unfortunately, it is clear we have not seen the last of this storm. Around half the average monthly rainfall for October is expected to fall through tonight and tomorrow in areas that have already been severely affected by exceptional levels of rainfall.

“It was always expected that the impacts of the storm would continue even once the most severe aspects of the storm itself had subsided, but a new Red Weather alert makes the ongoing severity of this situation clear. My very clear message to those covered by the Red Warning remains: please stay at home and do not travel, unless advised to relocate to a rest centre.

“A number of Amber and Yellow Weather Warnings meanwhile remain in place throughout many parts of the rest of the country. I urge everyone, however difficult this might feel over the weekend – particularly sports fans – to keep following the latest advice in order to keep you, and your families, safe.”

Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stuart Houston said: “We are dealing with exceptional weather conditions which have been extremely challenging for all involved.

“With the red warning being extended until midnight Saturday, this remains a dangerous situation which poses a threat to life.

“We are working hard with a range of multi-agency partners to support communities and those who need our help. Communities in Tayside are dealing with some of the most difficult conditions they have faced, with a number of road closures in place due to hazardous conditions and evacuations continuing of those affected by flooding.

“I would like to thank the public for their co-operation and for sticking to the travel advice in place to keep people safe and would again urge people to continue to follow the advice and listen to media broadcast, including radio, for updates. Follow your local authority for the latest updates in your area as well as police, the Met Office website and Traffic Scotland.

“Our advice is to avoid any form of travel in areas covered by the red weather warning – we are dealing with significant flooding issues, which pose a threat to life.”

Pascal Lardet, SEPA Flood Duty Manager, said:  “These are very difficult days for communities in Scotland who are experiencing flooding, in some cases for the second time in a month. There is more rain to come, and SEPA staff are working around the clock to provide vital information to partners and the public.  

“We started issuing Regional Flood Alerts on Tuesday to provide early awareness and help people prepare, and these are being updated as required. We continue to monitor river levels and issue localised Flood Warnings as required.

“However, it is important to stress that not all areas that could be affected have Flood Warning schemes, so please do take a Flood Alert in your area as advance notice that you could be affected.”

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issues regional flood alerts and local flood warnings for Scotland. View the latest updates on their website.

Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.

Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website. 

Operation Crackle: Follow the Fireworks Code

We are working together with partners such as Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and The City of Edinburgh Council to educate and keep everyone safe in the lead-up to bonfire night.

Where possible, attend an organised display. It is safer and will be far more impressive to look at.

#OpCrackle

We are reminding people of the dangers of fireworks as we approach Bonfire Night. Check the Fireworks Code and get essential tips on staying safe.

Downloadable leaflet: https://rb.gy/cu5jn

Web: https://firescotland.gov.uk/outdoors/fireworks-and-bonfires/firework-safety/

Red Weather Warnings expanded

  • Storm response plan agreed ahead of full impact of Storm Babet
  • Woman dies after being swept into river in Angus

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) met last night, as the highest level Red Weather Warning was expanded to further areas of Scotland.

With impacts from Storm Babet already being felt but expected to increase in severity in the coming day (Friday), resilience partners updated the actions already underway to protect public safety and mitigate the severe disruption that is anticipated.

The meeting was chaired by the Deputy First Minister with Cabinet attendance including the First Minister.

The Met Office Red Warning, which is valid between Thursday evening (1800) and Friday afternoon (1200), has been expanded to cover Angus, South Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee.

People in these areas are urged not to travel and to stay at home, with ‘exceptional’ levels of rain likely to result in significant disruption and danger to life.

Amber warnings for rain and wind remain in place for many other parts of the country and people in these areas are advised to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

Localised power outages have been experienced in coastal areas of eastern Scotland and across the north of Scotland with ongoing impact expected in Aberdeenshire and Angus in line with the Amber Warning for wind. Most affected households have already been reconnected and operational resource levels remain good.

People are asked to plan ahead and expect significant disruption to transport. Road operating companies have been clearing roads. Rail and bus services have been suspended in affected areas. Passengers are asked to check with transport operators to get the latest information on services.

SEPA has issued local flood warnings and encouraged people to follow alerts.

In limited parts of Angus, evacuation plans are being drawn up to protect the public from extreme flood risks. In the exceptional circumstances in which these apply, members of the public will be contacted directly by resilience partners. A major incident has also been declared for Perth and Kinross, Dundee City and Angus local authority areas.

Tourism partners have also been alerted to ensure that visitors to Scotland are provided with travel and safety guidance.

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said last night: “Storm Babet is still in its early stages and the worst impacts are yet to come. Protecting the public is our immediate priority and we are coordinating a national effort to ensure that people are safe.

“The Red Warning has been expanded to cover further parts of Scotland and we expect weather conditions to deteriorate seriously overnight. Our message is clear – if you live in the areas covered by the Red Warning, please stay at home and do not travel, unless advised to relocate to a rest centre.

“With weather warnings in place for much of the country, I would urge everyone to be vigilant and to exercise extreme caution. No matter where you live, please make sure you stay up to date with conditions affecting your area. If you need to travel in a yellow warning area then make sure you can travel safely and that roads and services are not impacted.

“We are working with partners across the country, including emergency services, the voluntary sector and energy companies, to make sure that we mitigate disruption as much as possible. However, we are clear that there will be considerable disruption and we expect to launch a major clean-up operation as we move into the weekend.”

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said: “Emergency services, local authorities and a range of resilience partnerships are working extremely hard to prepare and respond during what is an extremely challenging event.

“Police officers are helping local authorities evacuate a large number of properties in the Tayside area which is seeing some of the most significant impacts of the storm.

“I would urge people to continue to follow advice and listen to media broadcast, including radio, for updates.

“Follow your local authority for the latest updates in your area as well as police, the Met Office website and Traffic Scotland. I’d encourage everyone to share this information with people who don’t have access to the internet.

“Police travel advice is to avoid any form of travel in areas covered by the red weather warning.

“Driving conditions are extremely dangerous and floodwater could cause a danger to life. Plan ahead and don’t travel into areas affected by the Red weather warning.”

Pascal Lardet, SEPA Flood Duty Manager, said: “There is exceptional rainfall forecast for parts of Scotland over the next 24 hours, and this will lead to significant flooding from both surface water and rivers.

“Regional Flood Alerts were issued over the last two days to provide early awareness, and localised Flood Warnings started to be issued this morning. More will be issued across the day, so I do encourage people to check our Flood Updates for all the latest information. You can also follow @SEPAFlood on X.

“However, it is important to stress that not all areas that could be affected have Flood Warning schemes, so please do take a Flood Alert in your area as advance notice that you could be affected.

“Follow the advice of the emergency services and take action now to protect yourself and your property. Hazards can be hidden, so please don’t walk or drive into flood water.

“Remember that not only is flood water likely to be dirty, 30 cm of fast flowing water can move an average family sized car, and just 15 cm of fast flowing water could be enough to knock you off your feet.”

Save a life! The Restart a Heart campaign aims to save more lives

The Restart a Heart campaign starts today (Mon 16 October), a  lifesaving initiative aiming to help save more lives across Scotland by teaching people vital resuscitation skills which can be used if someone goes into cardiac arrest. 

Around 3,200 people in Scotland have an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) every year with people in deprived areas twice as likely to have one. 

Survival rates for OHCA have doubled in Scotland in the past eight years due to initiatives such as Restart a Heart and the public are being encouraged to sign up so we can improve further.  

Steven Short, the Scottish Ambulance Service’s OHCA Programme Lead, said: “Every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest. Early CPR and the use of a defibrillator is essential to increasing the chances of survival. 

“With most cardiac arrests happening at home, knowing CPR and being confident to act could save a loved one’s life. The chances of survival reduces by around 10% for every minute without CPR, so it’s essential that as many people as possible sign up to learn these lifesaving skills. You never know when you might need them.”  

One member of the public who has benefitted is John Hooper, of Milngavie. John, a dad-of one and grandfather of three, was recently reunited with ambulance crew Sophie Barrett and Kayleigh MacDonald, both of Leverndale Ambulance Station, who saved his life after he collapsed while out running outside Clober Golf Club on Craigton Road, Milngavie, on May 18, 2023. 

John said: “Thanks to a neighbour and several bystanders, I was given CPR immediately and a defibrillator was brought out from the golf club. Ambulance service personnel then arrived and continued to give me lifesaving treatment before taking me to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. 

“Were it not for the efforts of everyone involved I would not be here today. I am so grateful to your staff. Having performed CPR several times myself when I was an operational fire officer, I never thought it would need to be performed on me.

“My family and me sincerely thank everyone involved and hope they know how much it means to us. I am still here to be with them. I’ll be forever grateful.” 

John is pictured with Sophie, on the left, and Kayleigh

Find out more and get ‘CPR ready’ by visiting www.savealife.scot