A hard hitting play focusing on the antisocial use and dangers of fireworks will be performed in nine secondary schools in Edinburgh in the run up to Bonfire Night. TOAST has been staged in Edinburgh schools for a number of years and will be performed to over 1,000 S2 pupils this week leading up to 5 November. Continue reading School play highlights fireworks danger
Wet weather plays a part in ‘quieter than usual’ 5 November
People who chose to attend organized Bonfire Night events helped to protect their communities by ensuring firefighters were able to quickly get to real emergencies on Guy Fawkes Night. No major incidents were reported in Edinburgh, but sadly crews in Larbert, Govanhill and New Cumnock were threatened and attacked while trying to keep the public safe. Continue reading Madness: fire crews attacked while protecting communities
This can be a terrifying time of year for our family pets. Here are some seasonal tips about keeping your family pet happy …
Choosing to attend only organised displays is the best way to keep yourself, your family and your community safe. Continue reading Help protect your community from bonfire tragedy
‘The bang from a firework is terrifying to an animal and some will panic and flee at the sound, which can result in road traffic accidents’ – Chief Supt. Mike Flynn, Scottish SPCA Continue reading Scottish SPCA issues fireworks warning
Clean sweep for Forthview in Firework poster competition Continue reading Primary kids paint firework warning
NHS 24 is reminding people to take care and understand how to treat minor burns ahead of this year’s Bonfire Night celebrations on 5 November.
Continue reading Remember, remember: make safety paramount at firework time
Just time to add one more pre-upgrade post … information from local police as part of the #StrongerNorth initiative:
6 November report: Disturbances in the Forth area
Following several minor incidents of disorder in the Forth area of Edinburgh last night, a number of fireworks were thrown at Drylaw Police Station.
As a response, we deployed extra resources to the Drylaw and West Pilton areas, including two specialist support units. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were also in attendance. After these resources were deployed, no further incidents occurred.
Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan said: “Such behaviour will not be tolerated and further investigation is being carried out to identify those responsible.
We continue to place a strong focus on youth disorder and anti-social behaviour, and we in North Edinburgh are committed to tackling these issues in conjunction with our partners, through our Stronger North initiative, and we will take action whenever we receive a report of a crime.”
#StrongerNorth
Firefighters attend over 500 bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night
Scotland’s firefighters faced a busy 5 November with initial figures showing Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews responded to more than 1,100 incidents including around 507 bonfires across the country last night.
Assistant Chief Officer Dave Boyle, the SFRS director of service delivery, said: “While it will take time to establish the full picture it’s clear we have seen a significant number of incidents requiring the attendance of our crews across Scotland.
“Firefighters responded to 999 calls from the Borders to the Western Isles, many of which related to bonfires that were unsupervised or endangered homes and other buildings.
“It’s important to remember however that our crews were not only involved in bonfire-related activities, they also responded to emergencies including building fires and road traffic collisions.
“As always their professionalism and specialist skills were available and put into practice wherever they were needed to protect the public.”
The importance of that campaign for people to Join Scotland’s Fight Against Fire was made clear as crews responded to a range of emergencies throughout the country.
Firefighters from Paisley, Renfrew, Clydebank, Easterhouse and Govan responded after a car reversed into a house in Renfrewshire. No-one was hurt in the incident at Sandy Road in Renfrew but crews worked to ensure the stability of the building.
It was one of 548 reported incidents in the west of Scotland between 4pm and midnight. Of these 275 were bonfires.
Crews were faced with a busy evening in the east of Scotland with over 30 firefighters from Larbert, Denny, Falkirk and Bo’ness attending a fire in a wood chipper in Cowie near Stirling at 5.20pm.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used three jets to extinguish the fire in the wood chipper that was in the open air and they continued to dampen down and check for hotspots until 8.30pm. It was one of 429 incidents in the east of Scotland, 140 of which were bonfires.
The north of Scotland saw 192 incidents including 92 bonfires. At 6:58pm five wheelie bins were set on fire in Balloan Road, Inverness. One appliance from Inverness was dispatched and crews used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.
Two bonfires in the South Kessock area of Inverness were located by crews. One appliance from Inverness was dispatched to the scene and crews used a knapsack sprayer and hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.
And at 8.45pm an unsupervised bonfire was reported in School Road, North Tolsta, Isle of Lewis. Tyres had been thrown onto the fire and left to burn. One appliance from Stornoway attended and extinguished the fire using a hose reel jet.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, SFRS director of prevention and protection, said: “Over the weeks and months leading up to 5 November we called on people to help prevent needless incidents and ensure firefighters could quickly get to emergencies.
“By preventing bonfire-related incidents and helping to ensure our crews and their resources could quickly get where they were needed, responsible citizens have certainly played their part in protecting communities throughout Scotland.
“Along with our partners in the police and local authorities we have been actively working to raise awareness of the risks posed by fireworks and careless and poorly built bonfires.
“The fact is that every year these result in someone being hurt and the consequences for the person and their families can be devastating.
“Firefighters in every community are always ready to respond to emergencies and do whatever they can to save lives, but the sad reality is sometimes their very best efforts won’t be enough.
“We need the public’s help to prevent tragedies and so I would like to thank everybody who celebrated Guy Fawkes Night by going to an official event, as well as anyone who alerted local authorities to the build-up of bonfire materials.”
There were a small number of minor attacks on SFRS crews which included verbal abuse and missiles thrown at appliances; fortunately with no injuries or damage incurred. These included a single incident in the north and three in the west and two in the east.
ACO Boyle added: “Attacks on emergency responders are completely unacceptable and I am sure the public would be outraged by the small number of incidents where their firefighters have been targeted while working to protect people and property.
“Those responsible should know that the authorities take their mindless criminal actions extremely seriously and we work closely with police to ensure they are identified and held to account.”
Firefighters attend over 500 bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night
Scotland’s firefighters faced a busy 5 November with initial figures showing Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews responded to more than 1,100 incidents including around 507 bonfires across the country last night.
Assistant Chief Officer Dave Boyle, the SFRS director of service delivery, said: “While it will take time to establish the full picture it’s clear we have seen a significant number of incidents requiring the attendance of our crews across Scotland.
“Firefighters responded to 999 calls from the Borders to the Western Isles, many of which related to bonfires that were unsupervised or endangered homes and other buildings.
“It’s important to remember however that our crews were not only involved in bonfire-related activities, they also responded to emergencies including building fires and road traffic collisions.
“As always their professionalism and specialist skills were available and put into practice wherever they were needed to protect the public.”
The importance of that campaign for people to Join Scotland’s Fight Against Fire was made clear as crews responded to a range of emergencies throughout the country.
Firefighters from Paisley, Renfrew, Clydebank, Easterhouse and Govan responded after a car reversed into a house in Renfrewshire. No-one was hurt in the incident at Sandy Road in Renfrew but crews worked to ensure the stability of the building.
It was one of 548 reported incidents in the west of Scotland between 4pm and midnight. Of these 275 were bonfires.
Crews were faced with a busy evening in the east of Scotland with over 30 firefighters from Larbert, Denny, Falkirk and Bo’ness attending a fire in a wood chipper in Cowie near Stirling at 5.20pm.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used three jets to extinguish the fire in the wood chipper that was in the open air and they continued to dampen down and check for hotspots until 8.30pm. It was one of 429 incidents in the east of Scotland, 140 of which were bonfires.
The north of Scotland saw 192 incidents including 92 bonfires. At 6:58pm five wheelie bins were set on fire in Balloan Road, Inverness. One appliance from Inverness was dispatched and crews used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.
Two bonfires in the South Kessock area of Inverness were located by crews. One appliance from Inverness was dispatched to the scene and crews used a knapsack sprayer and hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.
And at 8.45pm an unsupervised bonfire was reported in School Road, North Tolsta, Isle of Lewis. Tyres had been thrown onto the fire and left to burn. One appliance from Stornoway attended and extinguished the fire using a hose reel jet.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, SFRS director of prevention and protection, said: “Over the weeks and months leading up to 5 November we called on people to help prevent needless incidents and ensure firefighters could quickly get to emergencies.
“By preventing bonfire-related incidents and helping to ensure our crews and their resources could quickly get where they were needed, responsible citizens have certainly played their part in protecting communities throughout Scotland.
“Along with our partners in the police and local authorities we have been actively working to raise awareness of the risks posed by fireworks and careless and poorly built bonfires.
“The fact is that every year these result in someone being hurt and the consequences for the person and their families can be devastating.
“Firefighters in every community are always ready to respond to emergencies and do whatever they can to save lives, but the sad reality is sometimes their very best efforts won’t be enough.
“We need the public’s help to prevent tragedies and so I would like to thank everybody who celebrated Guy Fawkes Night by going to an official event, as well as anyone who alerted local authorities to the build-up of bonfire materials.”
There were a small number of minor attacks on SFRS crews which included verbal abuse and missiles thrown at appliances; fortunately with no injuries or damage incurred. These included a single incident in the north and three in the west and two in the east.
ACO Boyle added: “Attacks on emergency responders are completely unacceptable and I am sure the public would be outraged by the small number of incidents where their firefighters have been targeted while working to protect people and property.
“Those responsible should know that the authorities take their mindless criminal actions extremely seriously and we work closely with police to ensure they are identified and held to account.”
