Stay summer safe and fire savvy, says fire officer

In a statement this week the assistant Chief Fire Officer, Alan Walmsley, said summertime carried with it a real set of dangers and he appealed for people to take the necessary fire safety precautions and to follow basic lifesaving safety advice to stay summer safe and summer savvy.

“At this time of year people are on holidays, in a relaxed frame of mind or away from their usual routine and unfortunately they can become complacent about their fire safety or indeed their general safety,” he said.

“We play a central role in protecting our community and as a fire and rescue service this time of year presents different challenges for us to deal with. We want people to be fire safe and summer safe over the coming months.

“If you are on holiday you need to consider your fire safety and the safety of your family. Ensure you know what to do in the event of an emergency.

“Similarly if you happen to be in the vicinity of water, act responsibly and take all the basic safety precautions. Be aware that swimming in a river, lake, or the ocean is different from swimming in a pool. You need more energy to handle the currents and other changing conditions and no one can anticipate other hidden dangers that may arise.”