Fire chiefs plan for a safe bonfire night

FIRE officers in Warrington are working closely with partners in the area to ensure the bonfire period once again results in a reduction in deliberate fires.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is also warning about the dangers of the misuse of fireworks and urging residents to take care and go to organised displays.
Last year there were 11 incidents in Warrington which was 14 fewer than the previous year, but the area is still one of the busiest for firefighters, often dealing with nuisance deliberate fires.
Station manager at Warrington Paul Jackson said: “This is always a busy time of year and we spend a lot of time preparing for it in a number of ways, ranging from engagement and education to enforcement, working closely with the police, local authorities and youth projects.
“Firefighters have been into schools in the area to highlight the dangers of nuisance fires to young people, and working with our partners, a number of engagement activities have been organised in a bid to ensure children have plenty to keep them busy during the school holidays and leading up to bonfire night.”
As well as engaging with young people and parents in a bid to educate people on the consequences of nuisance fires, preventative action is also being taken with the use of a waste recovery team to remove potentially nuisance or dangerous bonfires.
In Warrington residents can report unlit bonfires to the council by calling 01925 443322.
Most injuries throughout the bonfire period occur as a result of people building their own bonfires, and setting off their own or misusing fireworks.
Paul continued: “All the preventative measures we put in place are very much a partnership effort, and we are doing a variety of things to prevent the Warrington community being disrupted by fires that could cause serious damage and even injury.
“People might see starting a small bonfire or setting off fireworks as a bit of harmless fun, but fire is unpredictable and can easily get out of control and spread, so we would always urge people to go to organised displays and not make their own.”
Over the bonfire period smaller fire engines, known as Targeted Response Vehicles (TRVs), will be monitoring high risk areas to enable a quick response to small nuisance bonfires and act as a deterrent.
The public can also do their bit to reduce the likelihood of deliberate fires by ensuring wheelie bins and rubbish are not left out in the open, once your bin has been emptied please ensure you put it away securely.
Anyone with information about arson incidents in Warrington can call police on 101 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.