Dublin Fire Brigade Plan For A Safe Halloween
Dublin Fire Brigade is urging people to stay safe this Halloween. It’s asking people to stay keep their distance from bonfires and not to use fireworks.
Firefighters deal with around 800 calls in Dublin every Halloween, and say that many children don’t realise how dangerous bonfires and fire-works can be. People can lose a hand, cause a fire or suffer serious burns.
David Kavanagh from Dublin Fire Brigade recalls one frightening case where a firework ‘rocket’ was thrown someone’s window.
"Unfortunately someone just pointed this at a window and it went inside and landed in a baby's cot".
"Fortunately, the parents had taken the baby downstairs because there was a lot of noise outside, otherwise the baby would have been injured or even perished in the fire".
Firefighters are urging parents to warn their children about the dangers of fireworks and bonfires and to be careful of flammable costumes.
Dublin Fire Brigade says parents should supervise any child under the age of 14
Dublin’s Lord Mayor Michael Mac Donnacha says the best advice is to go along to organised events.
"There are lots of events with fireworks and parties and so on happening in communities", he said.
This time of year can also be very frightening for animals – particularly dogs. Gillian Bird from the DSPCA says you should keep them safely indoors.
"Really important not to just keep them in the house, but to lock them in a room. Don't have a situation where you open the front door and they are able to run out".
Dublin Fire Brigade says it wants people to stay safe but to have fun this Halloween. This morning it gave a safety lesson to primary school children at their HQ.
So the message for this Halloween is to have fun but to Be Safe and Stay Safe.